Let us know before you go

If you plan to travel to any destination, or you plan to effect hefty payments whilst overseas, it would be wise to advise your Bank. In the case of BOV customers, one may send an email to [email protected] citing the destination and the length of stay. In this manner, the Bank would be able to take the necessary precautions to ensure your card is monitored appropriately.

Always check that you have a valid PIN

In many countries, the chip and PIN technology is common practice. You may even have a BOV contactless card, making it that much simpler and swifter to effect transactions for small amounts. Whatever the case, it is imporant to ensure that you commit your PIN to memory. It is definitely not a good idea to jot it down on a piece of paper and keeping it ‘somewhere safe’. Likewise you should resist the temptation of saving it on your mobile phone. If you have forgotten or do not currently have a PIN, contact your Bank immediately to arrange for one ahead of time. Once in hand, take both your card and PIN to an ATM and effect a balance enquiry to ensure that they are both fully functional.

Check the validity period of the Card

Ensure that all the cards travelling with you will be valid for the duration of your trip. If any of the cards expire prior to your departure, or during your trip, contact your Bank in advance to arrange for a replacement. Generally Banks send replacement cards several weeks before your current one is due to expire, so make sure that in this case you take the new one with you, saving yourself the hassle of having your card expiring while overseas.

Take more than one card with you

Smart travellers will always seek to ensure that they have more than one card in their wallet (e.g. a BOV Visa Card, a BOV MasterCard or an American Express Card). A back-up brand may prove to be convenient for a variety of reasons and also provides peace of mind.

For more tips about your BOV cards, visit www.bov.com.

Bon Voyage!

Published on Malta & Gozo Day by Day September 2018