Do you still need to tell your bank before traveling?

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Historically, you always needed to notify your bank before leaving the country. If you didn’t, your credit card might get shut off the moment you tried to make your first purchase overseas.

But times have changed. Fraud detection systems are smarter now, and many issuers have updated their policies. So is it still worth notifying your issuer before you travel?

Personally, I never submit travel alerts anymore. Ironically, I’ve had more domestic purchases flagged as suspicious than foreign ones.

Banks are much better at spotting unusual activity, so travel alerts are almost never necessary anymore. They can tell whether a charge is likely yours by tracking your spending patterns, mobile app logins, past behavior, and more.

Here’s the current policy for each major issuer:

• American Express: Amex doesn’t require or even allow travel notifications.
• Capital One: Travel notices have been removed completely.
• Chase: The option to set travel alerts no longer exists. You can use your card anywhere in the world without advance notice.
• Citi: One of the few issuers that still allows travel alerts, though they’re not required. You can submit one if it gives you peace of mind, but Citi’s fraud systems usually work without it.
• Wells Fargo: No option and no need to submit travel notifications anymore.

The main theme is that issuers just ask that your contact info be up to date so they can alert you about suspicious activity.

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Even though travel alerts are most unnecessary, there are a few cases where they can still be useful (if your issuer even allows them):

You’re traveling somewhere new

If you’re heading somewhere outside your normal pattern and didn’t book the trip with that card, a travel notice may reduce the odds of a fraud check.

You haven’t used the card in a long time

Dormant cards can trigger fraud alerts more easily. If this is a backup card you rarely use, a notice might help prevent a decline.

Your phone number or email is outdated

Banks often verify suspicious charges by text. If they can’t reach you, they may freeze your account, so make sure your contact info is current before any trip.

You’re using the card for big-ticket purchases

Large charges can trigger alerts no matter where you are. A travel alert won’t eliminate that risk, but it can help with issuers that still accept them.

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Travel notifications used to be essential, but today they’re optional at best and unnecessary at worst. Except for Citi, most major issuers don’t even offer the option anymore.

As long as your contact information is up to date, you should be able to swipe abroad without any extra steps. And if fraud does happen, all major credit card issuers offer zero-liability protections, so you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges.

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