Debit Card Fraud

Debit Card Fraud

Published July 1, 2015

Dear Valued Customer: Debit card fraud continues to increase due to security breaches at major retailers such as Target, Home Depot, Fred’s and others.  Many of the fraudulent transactions are being presented for payment from outside of Georgia, with the majority occurring in California. Many of these fraudulent charges could have been avoided if the transactions required a PIN (Personal Identification Number) for the purchase to be approved.

Therefore, effective July 1, 2015 all debit card purchases made outside of the state of Georgia will require a PIN for purchases exceeding $99.00 at big box retailers, pharmacies, supermarkets, discount stores, specialty retailers and home supply warehouse stores.  Purchases that are less than $99.00 outside of the state of Georgia can continue to be signature based.

Purchases made inside the state of Georgia can be signature based or PIN based for any amount up to $1,000.00 for your convenience.  The daily limit for all debit card purchases will continue to be $1,000.00 per business day. For purchases requiring higher limits, you can contact our customer service representatives for limit adjustments to be made.

We are making these changes to protect you, our valued customer.  Chip embedded cards will be introduced within the next few months minimizing the risk of debit card fraud. Should you have questions concerning this matter do not hesitate to contact our customer service representatives in our Swainsboro or Dublin office.

We appreciate your business!

Sincerely,
Milton B. Gray, Jr.
President