Having traveled extensively in Europe for decades, Rick Steves is an expert on dos and don’ts on the continent. From where to go, what to wear, and how to travel, his advice is invaluable for travelers. Steves’ website contains hundreds (if not thousands) of travel tips, several of which are about bank card safety. When writing about payment methods in Europe, he says: “Avoid using a debit card for purchases.”
This is in case your card is stolen and used by someone else. Steves writes: “Because a debit card pulls funds directly from your bank account, potential charges incurred by a thief will stay on your account while your bank investigates.” In other words, while your bank sorts things out, you might find yourself in Rome dining on instant noodles instead of mouth-watering pasta.
To avoid this scenario, Steves opts for a credit card when making purchases. And he’s right to do so (of course). Credit cards offer greater fraud protection because they don’t pull money directly from your account. If you report your card stolen, your bank simply wipes fraudulent charges from your bill, and your bank balance never takes a hit. It’s a big reason why credit cards can help you feel safer while traveling. In contrast, with a debit card, you’re out of pocket until the bank accepts that the charge was fraudulent.
Debit cards versus credit cards
