Matrix Forex card: The window to secure and convenient forex

While travelling abroad, foreign exchange, or forex, for short, is always a big area of concern, simply because money is needed practically everywhere, but unfortunately, a stack of notes that is worth quite a substantial amount in one country is probably just a stack of paper in another. If it's a short trip, i.e., 3-4 days, carrying cash probably makes sense (although there is always a risk of the same getting stolen, irrespective of the part of the world one is in), but in case it's a longer trip, or one requiring excessive purchases, there is a problem. Travellers' Cheques have, till date, sufficed as the preferred alternative. However, there is now another great opportunity in the form of the Matrix Forex card. One can get instant access to the currency of choice and use it across merchant establishments and VISA ATMs around the world, without paying any currency interest charges, which makes it a much better alternative than travellers' cheques.

Coming to other advantages, the moment one signs up, there is a standby card provided, to counter the unforeseen circumstance that the primary card is lost, as the secondary card performs all the functions of the former. Even in case of online transaction, one can use the Matrix Forex card for purchases. For instance, if any bill has to be paid, or an air ticket purchased, it's only a matter of a few moments! Another great advantage is that foreign exchange fluctuations, which are another grave area of concern, even though many don't pay attention to it till the time they face the consequences, are circumvented via this card. One can reload the card from anywhere, at any time, to maximise the convenience factor. Often, it so happens that one is unable to find the right shop for currency exchange, and when finally it is found, time has run out. However, that is not the case with the Matrix Forex card, and that is yet another reason why it is a preferred medium of transaction by millions of people flying abroad each year.

Another domain of prime importance is the security part. As mentioned earlier, it is not advisable to carry large amounts of cash for the fear of the same getting stolen. In a similar manner, even in case of a card, it is important for the same to be very secure while one is carrying out transactions. Matrix Forex card offers the very best of security with an embedded chip that stores encrypted and confidential information, so that the card cannot be misused in any manner. Also, there is no limitation regarding the variation of currencies, as the Matrix Forex card is available in 8 prominent currencies that are used in all the major countries across the world. One can also access the card account to check details like balance, etc. via the internet. And to top it all, there is and insurance cover that can be availed in case of emergencies. With so much to look forward to in one card, there is little reason to look anywhere else!

How students studying abroad can save on expenses

With the growing demand for better education, students often feel the need to study abroad for ensuring a better future for themselves. Also, it is a known fact that education is expensive everywhere, and when it comes to additional costs like hostel fee, living expenses, etc., the costs add up exponentially. In order to ensure that things don't exactly spiral out of control, it is essential to put a tab on expenses. Following are some of the ways for students to achieve the same:

Accommodation: If the college has a hostel, then there's no problem at all, in most of the cases. The convenience factor of staying close to the place of study, as well as the added security are big plus points. Adding to that the fact that hostel accommodation is generally inexpensive makes the whole deal a lot more lucrative. However, there are certain cases wherein hostel accommodation may be very expensive, and it is in situations like these that one needs to consider alternative options. These could be grouping together to rent an apartment or a house. Location is also of prime importance. As a general trend, houses or apartments that are in the down-town locality are much more expensive, and hence, charge higher rent, compared to those on the outskirts. Ideally, it's best for 3-4 students to group together and take accommodation at one place, since it's much more economical that ways. Also, if one has friends or family living in the city where he/she is studying, it's always best to stay with them. In fact, it is always better to even rent a house from a known person, since the security and other factors can be taken care of in a better manner.

Commuting: Local transport is always the best option in most of the cases. However, if the place of study is very far from the house one is staying in, it's more feasible to get a car or motorcycle, since too much commuting takes a lot of toll on one's body, and if multiple buses or trains have to be changed, it's totally up to an individual in terms of whether he/she prefers driving. Here again, it's better if there are 3-4 people living together, so that the fuel expenses can be shared.

Communication: One of the most expensive and recurring expenses that one hardly pays attention to is the communication, i.e., telephone bill. Generally, one can either make calls from pay phones, or purchase a new connection. However, it is a known fact that calling rates in different countries may be expensive for some people. Also, since international calling is going to be a big part of the 'agenda', so to speak, for many students, it's best to go for a connection that is not only economical, but also specialises in giving affordable calling rates for international calls. Matrix international SIM cards offer more than 80% savings in calling rates across the world, besides fantastic network coverage, so that there are no dropped calls, and exceptional voice clarity every time.

Beware of international call forwarding fraud

A mobile phone has become the lifeline of every individual who owns one, simply because it provides a portable solution to communicate with the rest of the world. In the earlier days, a mobile phone only gave the option of calling and sending short messages. However, with the passage of time, the advent of technology made many more things possible as well, like accessing the internet and making video calls. But as is the case with every new development, there were upsides as well as downsides, and the most significant one among the latter to have surfaced recently is the international call forwarding scam. This crime has become a grave matter of concern for mobile phone owners, since it puts their personal as well as financial security in question.

The way this scam is carried out is – one person's SIM card is stolen by a thief, who diverts the mobile phone number to an international switchboard. By doing this, he can route international calls to anywhere in the world via the switchboard. Both data as well as voice SIM cards having international roaming / calling services activated on them. Coming to the other side, a person who has been a victim of this scam will not have received calls, but numerous international calls would have been credited to his/her account. So, anyone who has international roaming and calling activated on their mobile phone are susceptible to being affected by this scam, and the reason why the person would not have received calls is because all the calls coming in to his/her mobile phone would have been diverted to international numbers.

The most negative impact of such an occurrence is that a person would have to pay an exorbitant amount of money as bills for the international calls that have been done fraudulently by somebody else. In order to minimise the damage caused in case a person is faced with such a situation, one should contact the service provider whenever the SIM card is stolen, lost or damaged. This action will hard lock the SIM card on the network. Also, international calling and roaming must be deactivated at all times whenever a person does not need it, i.e., when he/she is not travelling. Also, deactivating the call forwarding feature from the mobile phone is advisable. In order to do so, one needs to dial ##002# from the mobile phone to remove any kind of call forwarding service. Further, the SIM card pin must be activated by modifying the security settings of the phone.

In case one is not using the phone at a particular moment in time, it should be locked, since it is a protection in case the handset gets stolen. The thief would not know how to unlock it, and the SIM card can not be used for the international call forwarding fraud in such a situation. It is also necessary to keep an eye out for a sudden rise in the monthly telephone bills, and if one notices something like this, the network services provider must be contacted at the earliest.