However, what I really recommend is you can get travel cards that you load with minimal money and are entirely disposable. You don't need to only use them overseas. I have used them for online payments and in person payments and they're disposable. That is I can get two more unique cards with unique numbers at any time. Minimising my personal risk since they can't be used as ID and I limit the money on the card to just what's needed. If it's stolen skimmed or tried to be used fraudulently I might at most lose 50 dollars but I also probably know who within a margin of error skimmed it since I rotate them with new cards every so often.

I'm also in a place where losing 50 Australian dollars won't financially bankrupt me if it was stolen. Because I'm pretty sure there is lots less fraud protection on those travel cards.

Anyway there's alternatives for those who can't or morally object to credit cards. Like me. Mine is I'm bad with money, I morally don't trust myself since I went into 10k debt at 18.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

If there's fraud on a credit card, the bank fights to get their money back. If it's fraud on a debit card, you fight for your money. Also if there's fraud on your debit, that's money out of your bank account that immediately affects you. With credit, it doesn't at all. Debit has much weaker liability then credit, and also a time limit where you just lose all money if it's not reported right away, with no limit to how much you can lose if you don't get it back in time (usually 60 days). That trust that you won't go in debt with credit cards is essentially why the credit system exists, to measure that. There's nothing that has to do with morals, it's just a payment method.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The bank is fighting for their money because as long as you report it in time they are legally required to refund all but a small amount. The refund for the fraudulent charges has nothing to do with the banks ability to get their money back.

[–] Annually2747 -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What I was just advocating for, is taking ownership and control of the risk. If it's your own entire bank account perhaps with a few thousand dollars, that risk is thousands of dollars. By segmenting that you can reduce it to dozens of dollars in which case, no matter the coin flip of bank fraud and money return, you're never putting your eggs all in one basket.

Risk management is more than good insurance.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't think you understood what my comment said. Fraud is prevented with credit cards, and that risk isn't there. It's smarter to use credit over debit, any bank will tell you that.

[–] Annually2747 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Explain the risk of fraud with a travel card.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Feel free to keep using a travel card

Also like I said witt Debit, if there's fraud then you're out of that money until it's returned. With credit, you will still be able to keep using it instead of potentially overdrafting/denied on a debit card. Or in the case of a prepaid travel card, you'd just run out, which would especially screw you over while traveling if that's your only method of payment. On top of that, it's easier to get scammed as a foreigner.

If you're still interested in learning, search engines are your friend. I am not a financial advisor.

[–] Annually2747 -1 points 1 year ago

I'm trying to get you to validate your point.

Risk 1: identity theft. Doesn't apply, travel cards aren't a form of identity. If stolen they can not be used as identity.

Risk 2: money theft. Largely mitigated to minimal amounts trivial if not returned.

I get it, you don't like this conversation, you'd rather I do my own research than discuss alternatives any further. I won't reply after this.