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A debit card with 100$ on it can only be frauded to 0$.

A credit card with 100$ on it can be frauded to -10'000$ or whatever the limit is. You think a fraud will stop before reaching the limit?

If you have a debit card with no money, but a regular income, the bank will be happy to issue a new credit card to you. Where I live (EU), I can request it via internet banking and it takes ~3 days until the card arrives in the mail. Virtual cards are available immediately.



> You think a fraud will stop before reaching the limit?

Yes. Credit card issuers block transactions they believe are fraudulent. Being liable for fraud motivates them strongly.

Anecdotally I've had a couple of credit cards compromised in my life. On each occasion the thief got less than a couple hundred dollars before being detected.

A thief will usually try a couple smaller transactions first to see if the card is good. Large unusual transactions get flagged for review quickly.


> Credit card issuers block transactions they believe are fraudulent.

They do? I never had a CC and I don't know if that's the case where I live.

Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I don't trust banks: I don't trust them blocking fraud transactions, and if they do, then I wouldn't trust them to not block my transactions and leave me stranded on vacation somewhere, and finally I don't trust them to revert fraud transactions if they ever happen.


> I wouldn't trust them to not block my transactions and leave me stranded on vacation somewhere

I have multiple credit cards. And a debit card, and cash. It's advisable to notify the credit card company if you plan to travel. Most card websites and apps have a feature for this.

> I don't trust them to revert fraud transactions if they ever happen.

This might be a European thing. In the US credit card issuers are liable for any fraudulent transactions by law.




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