Do you use your debit card while shopping during the holiday season? Take advantage of these helpful tips to secure your bank account and get the most out of your spending.

1.) Protect your PIN

Never write your PIN on or near your card and guard the keypad when entering your PIN at the checkout or an ATM.

2.) When making purchases, run your card as debit instead of credit.

Sometimes, debit cards are blocked at a point of sale terminal if they are run as credit. If your debit card is blocked or declined, try swiping it again as a debit transaction, which will require you to use your PIN. Keep in mind that many card readers will ask you to insert your card to scan the chip, so if swiping the card isn’t working, be sure to try that instead.

3.) Shop Local

Hills Bank supports shopping locally for many great reasons, and it is helpful to make purchases from retailers you know and trust. If you must use your card on the internet, make sure you are using it only on well-known sites with a secure server – denoted by a lock icon to the left of the URL on your web browser’s address bar along with a "https" in the web address.

4.) Check your accounts frequently

Transactions on Hills Bank’s online banking and through our mobile app are posted in real time, so you can check them immediately. Checking your transactions daily and reconciling your bank statement each month will help reduce the risk of overcharging or fraudulent activity.

If you are a victim of fraud, it is important to contact Hills Bank as soon as possible by calling 1-800-445-5725.