How payment card security limits and account usage limits work
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Properly defined and sufficiently strict limits protect your account – make sure you have them enabled!
It is important to set security limits for your payment cards and usage limits for your bank accounts. Both precautions can make it more difficult for criminals to access your funds.
Card security limits restrict the use of a payment card
Card security limits set an upper limit to the size of the payments you can make at payment terminals and online stores, for example, and how much cash you can withdraw. Security limits set an upper limit for payments and withdrawals in one day.
- The cash withdrawal limit restricts how much cash you can withdraw with your card at ATMs in Finland and abroad, or at store checkouts.
- The limit for payments made using a card reader restricts the amount you can pay with your card in stores, restaurants and so on.
- The limit for purchases made online or in apps restricts the amount you can pay with your card online and in mobile apps.
Account usage limits restrict payments more comprehensively
Account usage limits are more comprehensive restrictions than payment card security limits, as they affect card payments, as well as other transactions such as credit transfers.
With account usage limits, you set an upper limit for single withdrawals from your account, or for the total amount of daily withdrawals and transfers.
The usage limits affect, for example:
- cash withdrawals from the account
- domestic and cross-border payments, i.e. credit transfers
- card payments
- transfers between one's own accounts that are immediately debited from the account
Remember that account usage limits do not apply to payments or bills with a due date that are debited from the account. The limits do not affect payments made through e-invoices, for example.
How do I set usage limits and security limits?
You can set usage limits for accounts and security limits for payment cards in OP-mobile or in the op.fi service.
If you don't have OP’s user ID, you can make your account usage limits or card security limits stricter by calling the OP Customer Service. If you visit a branch to make the changes, you can also raise the limits.
Setting usage limits and security limits is free of charge, and they take effect immediately. You must set the account usage limits and payment card security limits separately for each card and account.
The usage limits and security limits can be changed whenever you want in OP-mobile or the op.fi service. If you raise the account usage limits, meaning you make them less strict, you must confirm the change with either a key code or Mobile key and SMS confirmation. If you lower the account usage limits, meaning you make them more strict, you must confirm the change with either a key code or just Mobile key.
It is very important that you never approve confirmation requests that you have not made yourself. This is a good thing to remember everywhere.
What are the right usage and security limits for me?
Think about what kinds of transfers and payments you make in your daily life and set the usage limits and security limits based on them.
In particular, it is a good idea to use strict usage limits on saving accounts where you keep larger sums of money, or where funds are not actively used. The limits also improve the protection of current accounts.
Do usage limits and security limits prevent criminals accessing the funds?
Usage limits and security limits reduce the chances of criminals transferring or withdrawing your money if your banking user ID or cards fall into the wrong hands. Doing things such as raising the usage limits, making them less strict, also requires a confirmation by SMS.
The extra SMS confirmation provides stronger protection against criminals because fraudsters are unable to loosen the usage limits to make them less strict using just a stolen bank user ID.
Always remember that you should never approve confirmation requests that you have not made yourself.
| Account usage limit | Card security limits | |
|---|---|---|
| Restricts individual payments and withdrawals | Yes* | No** |
| Restricts payments and withdrawals within one day | Yes* | Yes |
| Applies to credit transfers | Yes | No |
| Applies to payments made at payment terminals or in online stores | Yes | Yes |
| Applies to cash withdrawals | Yes | Yes |
| Can be changed in OP-mobile or op.fi | Yes | Yes |
| Changes are free of charge | Yes | Yes |
* The account usage limits do not apply to payments or bills with a due date that are debited from the account. In other words, the limits do not affect payments such as rent paid through an e-invoice.
** The card security limit restricts the usage of the card for payments and withdrawals for each day. If an individual payment or withdrawal exceeds the card's security limit, the security limit will restrict the payment or withdrawal in question.