Vacationers don’t know the dangers

Summer vacation is in full swing. Most Dutch tourists are looking for peace or challenge abroad. For many people, the holidays are a time they want to pass stress-free. Nevertheless, it is important to prepare your bags as well as possible, because every vacation can bring surprises.

Be extra careful especially when making payments abroad. You don’t want to pay extra for things you don’t know about. Dutch holidaymakers are often unaware of the dangers of paying abroad with a debit card, which is why travel companies advise caution. Tourists come to places they haven’t visited often and go somewhere to eat or drink in good faith because it’s easy to pay with a debit card. But if you’re not careful, you can easily get scammed and in countries where the euro isn’t used, things often go wrong. A few tips in order!

Needles outside of Europe

Dutch banks have taken precautions regarding the risks of debit cards outside of Europe and have prevented this in advance. You must activate this function specifically in your personal banking application. Of course, this does not apply to all areas outside of Europe. Are you going to America? Then you can pin without any problem. It is very different in Asia, Africa or the Caribbean. To pin there, you need to activate the function first. Most banks offer temporary or permanent option. In this case, select a temporary option and specify the start and end dates. This provides a little more protection for your own wallet.

Pins cost money

You probably already know that living abroad costs money. If not? So this is a good reminder. that is truth. At least, in non-European countries. Some banks accept debit cards in countries that are within Europe but do not belong to the euro. These are called ERR countries; Not Euro countries, but part of the European Economic Area. Despite this, you often pay at the exchange rate of the currency. Are the costs high? Then try not to withdraw often, but take money out of it ATM. This means you only pay the fee once, but you can continue to pay your receipts without any obligation. Note: Don’t withdraw too much, it might be interesting for pickpockets again. Judge for yourself what’s smart and what’s not.

Good product

It is not for nothing that they say that good preparation is half the battle. That’s why we give you some little tips before you actually leave the Netherlands. For example, check in advance when your debit card expires. A small effort can prevent major problems. Does a foreign bank ask for a six-digit PIN code? Don’t be fooled, just enter the four numbers you know. And ‘last but not least’: if you withdraw cash, it’s best to do so at a well-known bank or an ATM located in a bank. This will help you immediately if something goes wrong.