9 Important Mobile Banking Alerts to Set Up Today

Bank account alerts are one of the simplest ways to protect your money. With consumers losing an estimated $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024 (a 30% increase from 2023) real-time notifications give you a critical advantage: the ability to act before small problems become expensive ones.

Today’s mobile banking apps let you customize exactly what triggers an alert and how you receive it. Here’s how to set them up strategically.

What is the purpose of setting up alerts in a mobile banking app?

Setting up notifications in your bank’s mobile app offers several benefits. These alerts help you spot unauthorized access to your account or debit card immediately, prevent costly fees from overdrafts or low balances and track your spending in real time. By monitoring your balance and transactions automatically, mobile alerts make it easier to stay on top of your finances.

Types of online banking alerts

Most banks offer at least some alerts through their apps, which can be turned on or off as needed.

Here are nine online banking alerts to consider switching on.

1. Low balance alert

Low balance alerts let you know when your bank account balance drops to a predetermined amount, which could be a pre-selected or customizable amount. 

Depending on the bank, these alerts can come in the form of an email, text message or push notification — or all three. A low balance alert could be helpful for consumers nervous about racking up overdraft fees. 

2. Direct deposit alert

Direct deposit alerts can let you know when your paycheck hits your checking account, which can help in scheduling bill payments and budgeting. Many banks also offer similar alerts, such as when a deposited check clears your account.

3. Unusual account activity alert

Another alert to consider setting up is one that notifies you when there’s a change in your account status that’s unusual. For example, a large amount of money transferred out of the account all at once could be concerning if that’s something that rarely happens. Large, stand-alone transactions are a red flag for fraudulent activity.

By signing up for an unusual account activity alert, you’ll immediately be made aware of any suspicious activity associated with your checking, savings or money market accounts. 

4. Large purchase alert

Depending on the bank, there may be an option to set alerts for when a large amount of money is spent at one time. Mobile app users may be able to specify a threshold for what they consider a concerningly large purchase. If you usually don’t spend more than $100 on any purchase on a given day, for example, you could set an alert for any transactions that are over $100. The alert can help ensure the purchase doesn’t go unnoticed, and speed up the process of investigation and reimbursement if the purchase was unauthorized.

5. Large ATM withdrawal alert

Besides setting up a large purchase alert, consider opting for an alert when a big cash withdrawal takes place. That way, you’ll know instantly if money is taken from your account by someone else. Additionally, some banking apps may send alerts specifically when an account has exceeded the daily withdrawal limit. Withdrawals that exceed the limit could be a sign that someone else has access to your account. Otherwise, the alert will signal that you might be withdrawing too much cash at one time.

6. Debit card alert

Get notified for every purchase made with your debit card, or only for specific triggers like international transactions, online purchases, or declined transactions.

For those who are victims of bank fraud, it’s also worth checking your credit report for any unusual activity to ensure someone hasn’t opened a credit card in your name.

7. Profile change alert

Know immediately when someone changes your account details: password, email address, phone number, or mailing address. These changes often precede fraud attempts.

8. Upcoming payment alert (payment due alert)

Get reminded before scheduled or recurring payments hit your account. This helps you ensure you have sufficient funds and catches subscriptions you forgot to cancel.

9. Peer-to-peer transfer alert

If you regularly send or receive money through peer-to-peer (P2P) payment services like Zelle, Venmo or PayPal, enabling a P2P transfer alert can help you keep track of these transactions in real time. This type of alert notifies you when money has been sent from or received into your account, allowing you to confirm legitimate payments and quickly spot any unauthorized transfers. 

Be aware of bank alert scams

Fraudsters know you trust alerts from your bank, which is exactly why they impersonate them.

Red flags that indicate a scam:

• The message asks for personal information (Social Security number, account number, PIN)
• You’re asked to click a link to “verify” your account
• The alert includes a phone number that isn’t your bank’s official number
• The message creates urgency (“Your account will be closed in 24 hours”)

What to do: Never respond to suspicious alerts directly. Instead, call your bank using the number on your debit card or their official website. Report suspected scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Your bank will never ask for your password, PIN, or full Social Security number via text or email. Ever.

How to set up banking alerts

The process varies slightly by bank, but generally follows these steps:

1. Log into your mobile banking app and navigate to Settings (usually a gear icon)
2. Find “Alerts” or “Notifications” in the menu
3. Select which alerts you want and customize thresholds (like your low-balance amount)
4. Choose delivery method: push notification, text, email, or all three
5. Save your preferences

If you have trouble, call your bank’s customer service using the number on your debit card. Check out Bankrate’s article on the best mobile banking features to learn more.

Frequently asked questions

• Which banking alert is the most important?
  

  The most important alert depends on your priorities, but a low balance alert is essential for avoiding overdraft fees, while an unusual activity alert is key for spotting fraud early. Many people enable both for maximum protection.

  “At a minimum, I’d urge people to enable alerts for large transactions, low balances, payment reminders and any login activity,” says Mark Hamrick, Bankrate senior economic analyst. “The latter is key to being aware of suspicious activity and stopping misbehavior before it causes a problem. If you aren’t certain what to do, reach out to your institution’s customer support to enlist their help.”

• Can I get notifications when money goes into my bank?
  

  Can I get notifications when money goes into my bank?Yes, alerts for recent deposits (including direct deposit) are generally available. They will let you know went your paycheck or other deposits have cleared.

• How do I set up bank alerts?
  

  Log in to your bank’s mobile app or online banking platform, go to the settings or “alerts” section to choose the notifications you want. You can also usually customize the delivery method (push notification, text or email) and set thresholds for certain alerts.