This week, the Office of the Attorney General\u2019s \u201cConsumer Caution Corner\u201d outlines the Federal Trade Commission\u2019s guidance on debit cards.<\/p>\n
Debit cards are a way to pay for things. They use money from your checking account at the bank. They can be convenient. But to avoid spending more money than you have, keep track of how much you spend.<\/p>\n
How to I choose a debit card?<\/strong> \u2022 have a checking account;<\/p>\n \u2022 use a debit card;<\/p>\n \u2022 get cash from ATMs at other banks;<\/p>\n \u2022 have less money in your account than the bank requires; and<\/p>\n \u2022 spend more money than you have in your account.<\/p>\n Compare the answers. Find the bank or credit union that meets your needs.<\/p>\n How can I protect my debit card?<\/strong> \u2022 keep your debit card number and PIN private;<\/p>\n \u2022 do not use your debit card to buy things online;<\/p>\n \u2022 if you lose your debit card, report it to your bank or credit union right away. Ask your bank to cancel the card and send you another card; and<\/p>\n \u2022 ask for account alerts by email or text message.<\/p>\n This can let you know if your account has less money in it than you think<\/p>\n How can I keep track of my money?<\/strong> \u2022 write down how much money you spend with your debit card;<\/p>\n \u2022 write down how much money you take out of the ATM and remember to add the fees;<\/p>\n \u2022 use your monthly budget to schedule payments for regular bills;<\/p>\n Page 2 of 2 \u2022 ask your bank or credit union to send you email or text alerts. Some banks contact you if your balance goes below an amount you set.<\/p>\n Each week, the OAG\u2019s Consumer Protection Education Program shares FTC and\/or Federal Communications Commission publications that provide consumers and businesses with the \u201cknow-how\u201d to identify and protect themselves from unfair trade practices and marketplace schemes. <\/p>\n If you would like to file a consumer complaint, please pick up a form at the OAG (on Capital Hill) or request one by email from consumer_counsel@cnmioag.org. After completing the consumer complaint, please submit it by email or in-person. <\/p>\n We cannot act as your private attorney. If you need legal assistance, we will recommend that you contact a private attorney or legal aid organization. We cannot give legal advice or act as your private attorney.<\/p>\n Michael J. Cyganek (Special to the Saipan Tribune)<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This week, the Office of the Attorney General\u2019s \u201cConsumer Caution Corner\u201d outlines the Federal Trade…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[14798,9613,14800,86],"class_list":["post-254002","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion","tag-consumer-caution-corner","tag-federal-trade-commission","tag-ftc","tag-oag"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254002","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=254002"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254002\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=254002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=254002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=254002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nA bank or credit union usually gives you a debit card when you open a checking account. Compare the services and fees at a few banks and credit unions. Go to the website and\/or visit in-person. Find out what the fee is if you:<\/p>\n
\nYou should:<\/p>\n
\nTo keep track of your money:<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 look at your bank statement whenever it comes and make sure it is what you expected; and<\/p>\n