You work hard for your money, so go the extra mile to keep it safe. Enabling certain mobile banking alerts can tip you off to fraud, prevent you from overspending and help you avoid costly fees. Here are some banking alerts that can help you stay up to date.
Balance alert
When you spend more money than you have available in your checking account, you’ll be charged an overdraft fee. Most banks charge around $35 per transaction. If you rely on your debit card for almost every purchase, you can easily rack up multiple overdraft fees in a single day. Setting up balance alerts can help you avoid wasting money on unnecessary fees. You’ll get daily or weekly updates on your checking, savings and credit card balances. Plus, you’ll be alerted when your available balance falls below an amount you specify.
Direct deposit alert
Sixty-three percent of Americans have been living paycheck to paycheck since the pandemic began. If you’re like most people, chances are you’re looking forward to getting paid so you can buy groceries or pay upcoming bills. By setting up direct deposit alerts, you’ll be notified when your paycheck, tax refund or any other funds are available for use.
Profile change alert
You want your bank account information to always stay safe and secure. This alert will let you know if your password, email address or other personal information has been updated. Most of the time, it will probably be changes you’ve made on your own, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Bill payment alerts
Some people have a hard time keeping track of their bills and end up missing the due date. Never pay another late fee again. Set up bill payment reminders with your bank and receive alerts about upcoming payments. They can also notify you about past due bills or failed payments due to insufficient funds.
Purchase alerts
An easy way to monitor your spending is to sign up for purchase alerts. You can request to be notified when your debit card is used to shop online, make international purchases or for transactions over any amount you choose. If you want, they can also alert you about your ATM activity.
Suspicious activity alerts
Most banks automatically monitor your accounts for suspicious activity. Maybe you used your card outside of the U.S. or made a purchase over a certain amount. Either way, they’ll contact you to confirm whether it’s really you who made the transaction. If you don’t respond to their call, text or email, they may block your card from being used.
