Visa Trials Instant Alerts Service

Visa Europe has embarked on a trial of a new mobile service that sends instant confirmation of a card transaction to the cardholders mobile when they use their debit, credit, or prepaid card. The notifications provide increased peace of mind by instantly sending the time, location and amount of each transaction to the handset. Consumers will be able to choose to receive the alert via an SMS or email on any mobile device, or to an application downloaded to a Smartphone.
Visa is currently trialling the real-time alert service with its staff in the UK and working closely with member banks through which it will make the technology available to consumers.
With Visas mobile alert service, we want to offer cardholders the reassurance of knowing, in real-time, exactly where and when their card is being used, says Sandra Alzetta, Senior Vice President of Innovation and New Product Development at Visa Europe. If something looks suspicious, this will give them the power to put a stop to any fraud taking place on their cards.
We have chosen the summer holiday season to test this proposition, as its the period when people travel most. Feedback from our current pilots indicates that consumers often receive the alerts before their cards are even handed back to them at the point of sale. This real-time capability makes Visas solution unique. 
Visa says that in the future, cardholders may be able to customise the format and content of alerts to fit their individual needs. For example, instant conversion into the users home currency while abroad will make it easier to keep on top of budgets.