Safe use of payment cards

Safe use of payment cards

Together with the Banking Association of Slovenia, we have made recommendations for the safe use of payment cards. Your card is your money, so it should be treated just like cash and other valuable items.

Point-of-sale processes

• When making payments with your card, never let it out of your sight. Supervise the entire payment process.
• Before you enter your PIN or sign your purchase receipt (POS statement or slip), make sure the payment amount is correct.
• When making payments at a point of sale, make sure no one sees your PIN. Whenever you use your card (especially at an ATM), make sure that no one sees your PIN and that those waiting in line are far enough from you. If anyone is standing too near, kindly ask them to move away.
• Make sure that the seller of goods or services only authorizes the payment or draws your card through the POS terminal once. If authorization fails, ask for a receipt of failure.
• Thoroughly check all spending statements and compare them with purchase receipts . Comparing your spending statements and purchase receipts will reveal how much you have actually spent.
• Purchase receipts may contain a lot of information about your payment card, so destroy old receipts.
• At points of sale, never sign purchase receipts that are not intended for immediate payment of goods or services, or are written in advance or even blank.

Online shopping

• Do not enter your payment card number whenever you are prompted to enter a website, but only when you have already decided to make a purchase and actually want to pay by card.
• Only make online payments to providers who you know are credible, secure and have security features on their websites.
• Make sure your PC is well protected from intrusion, misuse and malware.

Using ATMs

• Make sure no one sees your PIN while you are using the ATM. When entering your PIN, we recommend that you hide the keypad with one hand. If anyone is standing too near, kindly ask them to move away;
• Use ATMs by yourself. If you do not know how to use them, do not accept help from a passer-by, but rather turn to Intesa Sanpaolo Bank for assistance.
• Choose ATMs that are in a crowded and well-lit place.
• If you notice anything out of the ordinary at the ATM (e.g. it is more difficult than usual to insert your card into the ATM, there are devices or items that are not normally on ATMs such as unusually placed cameras, an unusual slot into which the card is inserted…), take your card, leave the ATM and use a different one. Inform Intesa Sanpaolo Bank as soon as possible by calling the telephone number on the card and the police at 113;
• If the ATM is situated indoors and can only be accessed by drawing your card to open the door, be aware that you do not have to enter your personal PIN number at the same time. If there is a device on the door that requires you to type your personal PIN number, do not do so.
• If the ATM does not return your card (due to some barrier mounted on the card slot), and instructions to insert your personal PIN number again are attached to it, do not do so. The same applies if you are prompted to re-enter your PIN by some person nearby who poses as a bank employee. In either case, immediately notify the nearest bank (or bank unit) and the police at 113.
• If the ATM machine does not pay out your cash despite having approved the transaction, immediately check your account balance and contact your nearest Intesa Sanpaolo branch.

Staying safe on your trip

• When traveling abroad, it is a good idea to have several different payment cards.
• Before traveling, check the validity of your payment card and the available limit.
• Keep your payment cards and cash separately so you don't lose everything in case of theft.
• Keep your purse or wallet close to you in crowded areas.
• Use safes to store your valuables, cash and payment cards in hotel rooms or suites.
• When paying with your card, check the information on your receipt, POS statement or POS terminal before signing or entering your PIN.

Cancellations, losses, thefts

• Keep a note of the phone number found on the back of the payment card, which you can call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and immediately report any loss or theft of your card.
• Cancel your card and report its loss or theft immediately. This way your card be will blocked, thus reducing the chances of misuse.
• Be sure to report the theft of your payment card to the nearest police station. Do the same if you are abroad.

Other recommendations

• Re-familiarize yourself with the general terms and conditions of your payment card.
• Sign your new card immediately upon receipt, as only a signed card is valid. An expired, invalid, or cancelled card should be immediately destroyed by the clerk at the bank. If you did not hand over your old card to the bank clerk upon picking up the new one, you should destroy it yourself by cutting it into several pieces (make sure you cut the chip and the magnetic stripe).
• Do not store your cards in the sun or near other heat sources, electromagnetic fields, or other harmful effects or sources, as they may become damaged and unusable.
• Handle your payment card carefully, keep it with you at all times and do not leave it in the car, dressing room or elsewhere. When paying with a card at a restaurant, never let it out of your sight. Have a waiter use the portable POS terminal or escort it to the payment point yourself.
• Memorise your PIN and destroy the letter stating your PIN as soon as you receive it. Do not keep a copy of your PIN anywhere, not with your card and not even at home.
• Your payment card is personal, so no one else is allowed to use it for any purposes.
• The card number and its associated information are secret and unique, so do not share it with anyone who asks you for that information.
• Do not believe electronic, telephone or other messages (even if they seem to be from Intesa Sanpaolo Bank), informing you of misuse of your payment card and inviting you to provide your payment card data or to enter it into online forms for security reasons. Immediately report any such event to Intesa Sanpaolo Bank so we can examine the contents of the message together. Intesa Sanpaolo Bank will never send you an email or call you by phone to ask for your payment card data (card number, validity, security code on the back, etc.).

Keep track of your bank card transactions through your online bank. If you notice any transactions you did not make, please inform us immediately.