With the warmer seasons quickly approaching, we want to share some tips and tricks to keep your account safe. Summer is a popular time to plan a relaxing staycation or seek out a fun destination. Whether you decide to stay home or hit the road, the last thing you want to worry about is the security of your financial accounts. Here are some ways to protect your accounts for peace of mind while you’re having fun in the sun.

Protect your accounts with how you pay.
It’s a good idea to use debit or credit cards as they offer protection against fraudulent charges if the card is lost or stolen. Check with your card issuer for more information about the service they provide to protect your accounts.

Your financial institution is also your partner in protecting your accounts.
Just like you would ask your neighbor, close friend, or family member to keep an eye on your home while you and your family are away or out of town, your financial institution can do the same for your financial accounts and flag any suspicious or unusual activity.

First, make sure you’re enrolled in any automated communications regarding about your card or account activity. These might be push notifications sent directly to your phone as a text message, automated call, or email from your financial institution. You can typically customize these communications based on the type of notifications you prefer to receive.

If you are planning to travel, contact your financial institution prior to your trip. Make them aware of where you are going and how long you will be at each destination. This will help to ensure any purchases made out of your usual geographic area are not flagged as possibly fraudulent and erroneously block your card.

Extra precautions can offer extra protection.
Of course, there are other safety measures you can follow to protect your accounts – whether you’re at home, running errands, or going out of town for an extended period of time. Consider taking other precautions to keep your accounts safe, such as:

• Be careful using public Wi-Fi. If you must do so, don’t share any personal information.
• Avoid using a public computer; if you need to, always make sure you completely log out of all websites and don’t use it to pay any bills.
• Don’t tag your travel itinerary on social media while you’re away, and wait until you are home to share trip photos. Fraudsters may track your movements and learn you have an empty house.

It’s important to keep track of your financial accounts and credit or debit cards. In addition to keeping your accounts and cards safe, make sure to have secure passwords and know your card issuers so you can contact them if there is ever a problem.