Never use your debit card at these five places; find out how much you could lose!

Debit Card Safety Tips: Debit cards have become an everyday necessity. But using them in certain places can lead to significant losses. A small mistake can empty your account in minutes.

Debit cards have become the easiest tool in our wallets today. But this convenience can sometimes lead to heavy losses. A small lapse in judgment can wipe out your entire bank balance. Therefore, it's essential to know which places are risky for using your debit card.

People are being scammed frequently through debit cards these days, and their bank accounts are being emptied. That's why you should avoid using your debit card in certain specific places. Instead, you should use cash there.

Petrol pumps and gas stations are the most preferred places for installing card skimmers. These devices are often hidden from the staff's view. Criminals attach fake devices on top of the real card reader, which steal your card data and PIN. Once they have the PIN, your account can be emptied in minutes.

Similarly, when you give your card to a waiter at a restaurant, it goes out of your sight for a few minutes. During this time, a picture of the card can be taken, or the data can be copied using a pocket skimmer. Most people are honest, but the risk is significant.

In India, many hotels and car rental companies place a pre-authorization hold on your card as security during check-in. In many places, this facility is also applicable to debit cards. While the money isn't deducted immediately, the bank blocks that amount in your account. This amount remains unavailable for several days, and sometimes, this causes your card to be rejected at other places.

Security is very weak at dimly lit shops or local ATMs on the roadside. It's easy to install skimmers there, and there is less surveillance. Many machines also lack strong data encryption. If necessary, always use ATMs located inside bank branches.

Entering your debit card details on a small or new website is like giving them direct access to your bank account. If the site gets hacked, your money can be withdrawn instantly. Credit cards offer fraud protection, but with debit cards, you're on your own if something goes wrong. For online shopping, credit cards or digital wallets are much safer.