Debit Card Controls
Best of friends: Your debit card and mobile app.
Just tap the app, with debit card controls* available in your mobile banking app, you can:
- Turn your debit card on/off if lost or stolen.
- Set limits on transactions, including dollar amounts/merchant categories.
- Set SMS and email notification alerts for all transactions or specific uses based on merchant or transaction types.
- Set alerts for exceeding threshold amounts.
Plus, you don’t need to download any additional apps. Working together, your First Merchants mobile app and debit card offer total flexibility and security.
It’s a shield. It’s an app. Easily protect your debit card with our mobile app.
With debit card controls* available in your mobile banking app, you can:
- Turn your debit card on/off if lost or stolen.
- Set limits on transactions, including dollar amounts/merchant categories.
- Set SMS and email notification alerts for all transactions or specific uses based on merchant or transaction types.
- Set alerts for exceeding threshold amounts.
Plus, you don’t need to download any additional apps. The First Merchants mobile app is the perfect companion for protecting your debit card.
* Merchant restrictions on customer-placed transactions may be subject to Mastercard definitions and limitations. Any questions should be directed to First Merchants Customer Service at 1.800.205.3464.
Debit Card Controls and Alerts Guide and FAQs
Set Transaction Type Controls for your Debit Card
With Transaction Type controls, you can decide what types of purchases you want your First Merchants debit card to be capable of; for example, if you don't want to allow online purchases using your debit card, simply turn them off! You can enable or disable six different types of transactions on any debit card that you control. Transaction types include:
- In-Store Purchases
- eCommerce Online Purchases
- Mail or Phone Order Purchases
- Auto Pay Purchases
- ATM Transactions
- "Other" Transactions not matching the above noted categories
Set Spending Limits for your Debit Card
Turn on the Threshold Amount feature to set a monetary threshold for purchases. Any time a purchase exceeds that amount, it will be declined. This is useful for:
- Helping Prevent Overspending
- Protecting Your Account From Large Fraudulent Purchases
Control Where Your Debit Card is Used
With Merchant Controls, you can block specific types of merchant transactions from your card.
Merchant Types allows you to disable transactions at specific merchant types, such as Department Stores or Gas Stations.
Know When Your Card Is Used
In the Alerts Menu, you'll be able to turn on alerts for each of your cards to notify you when a purchase is made. You can be alerted to all transactions or specific transactions or amounts, such as:
- Specific Merchant Type Alerts (e.g. Department store, Entertainment, Gas station, Grocery, Household, Personal care, Restaurant, Travel, Age-restricted)
- Transaction Type Alerts (e.g. eCommerce, Mail/Phone Order, Recurring, ATM, In-store, Other)
- International Transaction Alerts
- Transactions that exceed a minimum threshold amount
A merchant category is assigned based on the merchant’s primary line of business by the card processor. When you place a merchant type control or alert, it is subject to Mastercard definitions and limitations. If you have questions, please contact Customer Service at 1.800.205.3464.
Use merchant types to permit or restrict your debit card from being used with specific categories of merchants, such as restaurants and department stores. For example, you can enable the merchant types for groceries and fuel for everyday purchases, but disable entertainment and travel until required. When you place a merchant type control or alert, it is subject to Mastercard definitions and limitations. If you have questions, please contact Customer Service at 1.800.205.3464.
The toggle will appear blue with a white check mark.
- Debit Card Controls is a function within the First Merchants Mobile App and within Online Banking that allows you to control how, when and where your debit card is used, keeping your card safe and providing instant notifications whenever your card is used. You can activate or deactivate cards, restrict card usage to specific types of merchants and/or transaction types, establish threshold amounts.
- If I turn a feature off using Debit Card Controls, will it affect any other cards accessing the same account?
- No, if you turn a feature off through Debit Card Controls, it will only apply to your debit card.
Use transaction types to control which types of transactions are permitted.
Yes, just tap the button next to each debit card to select your card.
Debit Card Controls are accessible in the First Merchants Mobile App:
- Log in to the First Merchants Mobile App
- Select “More” and choose “Card Controls” (if you do not see this option, make sure that you have downloaded the latest update for the First Merchants Mobile App)
- Select your debit card
Card Controls includes several options to manage and monitor your payment activity:
- Lock or unlock your debit card if you misplace or lose it
- Transaction Types enables you to block certain transaction types like ATM or online transactions
- Merchant Types enables you to block certain types of merchants such as restaurants or department stores.
- Threshold Amounts allows you to set a specific limit (lower than the default amount) for debit card transactions. Any transactions over this threshold will be declined.
Consumers who are enrolled in First Merchants online banking and mobile banking who have a First Merchants Debit MasterCard.
A threshold amount alert is the dollar amount that, if exceeded, will trigger an alert. If a transaction exceeds your defined amount, an alert will be delivered to your mobile device.
Contact Customer Service at 1.800.205.3464.
Most transactions will be denied while your card is disabled, however, any recurring payments that you have established using your debit card number will be allowed through for processing (e.g. Netflix, etc).
Use transaction type alerts to control which types of transactions trigger an alert. For example, if you do not often make online purchases, you could enable eCommerce to receive an alert when an enrolled debit card is used in an online transaction.
A threshold amount is the maximum dollar amount for a point-of-sale transaction. If a transaction exceeds your defined amount, the transaction is declined.
Use merchant type alerts to receive an alert whenever the enrolled card is used with specific categories of merchants, such as restaurants and department stores. For example, you can disable the merchant type alerts for groceries and fuel for everyday purchases, but enable alerts for entertainment and travel.
Yes, you simply access Debit Card Controls through the First Merchants Mobile App and disable the card. Once the card has been found, you can enable it again.
Debit Card Alerts enable you to receive notifications of recent debit card transactions. You can activate or deactivate debit card alerts, set debit card alerts for specific types of merchants and/or transaction types, and select a threshold transaction amount for receiving a debit card alert.
Your debit card settings will be updated immediately.
No, you will only have access to update controls for your own debit card.
No, if you turn a feature off through Debit Card Controls, it will only apply to your debit card.
Normally, your debit card settings will be updated immediately. However, Debit Card Controls is reliant on computer and telecommunication systems. Disruptions to these systems may result in delays in updates to Debit Card Control settings from time to time. Your settings will be updated as soon as the disruption is resolved.
