With travel season upon us, let Farmers & Merchants Bank help ease some of the stress that you may be experiencing by providing you with some information to keep you and your money safe.

There are a few preventative measures that you can take before leaving for your trip. First, call the bank ahead of time updating us with your travel plans so we can flag cards. This is our way of preventing cards from being denied when making purchases on your trips. Also, a good reminder for customers who use our SecurLOCK Equip app is to ensure that you have updated your geographic locations to where their card is allowed.

It is also important to stay mindful of the potential scams that you may come across when planning your trip. Here are three ways to avoid travel scams:

1. Wait to pay or sign until you know the details. Understand the policies and terms of the deal, such as the cancellation and refund policies of the trip before you pay. If you are not provided with those details upon asking, this is a sign that you may want to walk away from the company.
2. Do your research. When using travel companies, hotels, rentals, and agents, look them up along with key words such as “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” The results from the search should be a good indicator as to whether you should commit. If you are using a third-party booking site, it is good to do your research and confirm details with the specific airline, hotel, rental etc.
3. Stick to trusted payment methods. Dishonest travel agents may tell you to pay with wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, but that is a sign of a scam. Pay in only secure, trackable ways to ensure that you are covered in case anything goes wrong.

Avoid Scams When You Travel | Consumer Advice (ftc.gov)