How to Set Up Fraud Alerts on Your Bank Account

Fraud alerts and transaction notifications are your first defense against unauthorized charges. When enabled, your bank sends a text, email, or push notification for every transaction — or when something suspicious is detected. This lets you catch fraud within minutes instead of weeks.

Banks offer transaction alerts (notifications for every transaction over a threshold you set) and fraud monitoring alerts (automated detection of unusual activity like purchases in different states or large transactions).

To set up: log in to your bank's app or website, go to Settings or Alerts, and look for "Transaction Alerts" or "Security Alerts." Choose notification types: purchases over a certain amount, ATM withdrawals, online transactions, international transactions, low balance warnings, and deposits received.

For fraud monitoring, make sure your phone number and email are current in your bank's records. If your bank cannot reach you about suspicious activity, they may freeze your card.

If you receive a text claiming to be from your bank with a link to click — do NOT click it. Scammers send fake alert texts to steal your login. Instead, call your bank directly using the number on the back of your card.