Should you notify your credit card company when traveling?
Alerting your credit card company about your travel plans is now mostly a thing of the past.
There was a time when cardholders notified their credit card companies of any upcoming travel plans. But that’s now mostly a thing of the past.
Read on to learn about credit card travel notifications and why they may no longer be necessary.
What is a credit card travel notification?
A credit card travel notification is exactly what it sounds like: It’s a way for you to alert your credit card company about your upcoming travel plans.
An advance notice tells your credit card company to expect charges from another city, state or country.
Do credit card companies require you to set a travel notification?
Credit card companies are always on the lookout for credit card fraud. And setting a travel notice is a way for you to minimize the possibility of your credit card company flagging a charge you authorized.
But thanks to improvements in fraud detection technology and the added security of EMV chips and contactless cards, credit card travel notifications often aren’t necessary these days.
There’s no need to tell Capital One, for example, about your travel plans—even if you’re traveling abroad. Just make sure the contact information associated with your account is up to date. That way, Capital One can contact you if there are any issues with your card.
Travel with confidence
You can travel with confidence knowing that you can use your card the same as you do at home.
If you’re a Capital One cardholder and your card is lost or stolen, you can instantly lock your credit card to prevent it from being used for purchases.1 And if you find it, you can unlock it just as easily to use your card again. The card lock feature is simple to use and takes just a few taps on the Capital One Mobile app.2
Capital One cardholders are also covered by Capital One’s $0 liability for unauthorized charges policy—even while traveling. If your card is lost or stolen, you will not be responsible for charges you did not authorize.3
Want even more peace of mind? Add your mobile phone number to your account to automatically get alerts if Capital One notices potential suspicious activity. Capital One will text you from the same number every time so you can be confident it's Capital One texting you.4
You can even keep track of your account activity in real time. By setting up instant purchase notifications in the Capital One Mobile app, you can receive an alert any time a purchase is made on your card.5
1If your card is lost or stolen, please notify Capital One as soon as possible.
Some activity may continue, including returns, credits, payments, interest, dispute adjustments, other account fees, purchase transactions during system downtime and certain other exempted transactions.
2Web access is needed to use the mobile app. Check with your service provider for details on specific fees and charges.
3Claims of unauthorized use and liability for unauthorized charges are subject to investigation and verification.
4Message and data rates may apply.
5While we will do our best to deliver notifications, please be aware that due to system issues or limitations with your technology or ours or other unforeseen circumstances, notifications may not be delivered as expected or intended and may be delayed. Please make sure you are checking your account regularly and not relying only on notifications.
We hope you found this helpful. Our content is not intended to provide legal, investment or financial advice or to indicate that a particular Capital One product or service is available or right for you. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, consider talking with a qualified professional.