GeoControl at a glance
Austrian banks generally apply very high security standards for debit cards. However, one of the most common and growing forms of misuse is so-called "skimming". In this case, the magnetic strip of the card is copied at manipulated ATMs and the PIN code is spied out. The stolen data is then used to make cash withdrawals outside Europe.
Questions & answers
GeoControl is a security function which provides enhanced protection of your debitcard against misuse outside Europe.
For security reasons, cash withdrawals at ATMs outside Europe will not be possible automatically.
- Enhanced security – preventing cash withdrawals with skimmed cards (“skimming” is the copying of card data at an ATM and transferring the data to another card) in high-risk countries.
- GeoControl reduces inconveniences and time-consuming measures such as reporting misuse to the police, notifying the bank of any loss, having the card blocked, etc.
- No need to order a new card and memorise a new code.
- Authorising worldwide card usage is convenient, easy, fast and possible at any time.
If you are planning to travel outside Europe and wish to withdraw cash up to your card limit without restriction, please authorise the usage of your debitcard before you leave by deactivating the GeoControl function for the period of your stay broad.
- Via 24You, the Online banking of Bank Austria under “Cards & Services – Debitcards” in the display of details of the selected card.
- Via our 24h ServiceLine 050505-25 (from abroad: +43 50505-25), available every day around the clock.
- With the assistance of your relationship manager.
Skimming is the term used for copying data of the magnetic stripe of a debitcard at manipulated ATMs and spying out the PIN.
Fraudsters can use the stolen data to misuse the card and make cash withdrawals outside Austria.
The GeoControl function is available free of charge.
| You can use your debitcard without restriction in the following countries and territories without having to deactivate GeoControl. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | French Guiana | Latvia | Romania |
| Andorra | Georgia | Liechtenstein | Russia |
| Armenia | Germany | Lithuania | San Marino |
| Austria | Gibraltar | Luxembourg | Serbia |
| Azerbaijan | Great Britain | Macedonia | Slovakia |
| Belarus | Greece | Malta | Slovenia |
| Belgium | Greenland | Martinique | Spain |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Guadeloupe | Moldova | St Helena |
| Bulgaria | Hungary | Monaco | Sweden |
| Croatia | Iceland | Montenegro | Switzerland |
| Cyprus | Ireland | Netherlands | Tajikistan |
| Czech Republic | Israel | Northern Ireland | Turkey |
| Denmark | Italy | Norway | Turkmenistan |
| Estonia | Kazakhstan | Poland | Ukraine |
| Finland | Kosovo | Portugal | Uzbekistan |
| France | Kyrgyzstan | Réunion | Vatican City |
You can see whether the GeoControl function is active for the relevant card in 24You, under “Cards & Services – Debitcards” in the display of details of the selected card
You can activate the GeoControl function of the relevant card via 24You, under “Cards & Services – Debitcards” in the display of details of the selected card.
For your own security, the GeoControl function can be suspended for a maximum period of three months. If you stay abroad for a longer period of time, you will have to repeat the deactivation process after 3 months.
Please contact your relationship manager if you stay abroad for a longer period.
The GeoControl function is reactivated automatically when the “end date” is reached. Alternatively, you can reactivate GeoControl at any time even before the date which has been set.
