Spot potential fraud.
A purchase you didn’t make? An alert gives you a chance to notice it.
What are bank
transaction alerts?
Transaction alerts notify you about purchases and refunds. Choose email delivery on your bank’s website or mobile app to receive them in your inbox.
- Use your card
- Your bank sends an email
- Check the merchant and amount
Know what’s happening with your money.
Catch forgotten subscriptions.
That service you stopped using may still be charging you.
Notice billing mistakes.
An unexpected amount or possible duplicate charge is worth checking.
Keep track of refunds.
Waiting on a return? Get an update when your bank reports the credit.
What does a transaction alert look like?
Explore real emails from a few popular banks.
Set up your alerts.
A quick one-time setup for each card.
- ChaseSix steps with screenshots
- Capital OneFive steps with screenshots
- American ExpressSeven steps with screenshots
- Bank of AmericaFive steps with screenshots
- CitiSix steps with screenshots
More bank setup guides
Discover
- Log in to discover.com (opens in a new tab).
- Go to Profile → Alerts
- Enable Account Alerts
- Turn on Purchase notifications
- Set threshold to $0.01
Choose email delivery for use with Meli. Repeat the setup for each card you want to track.
Wells Fargo
- Log in to wellsfargo.com (opens in a new tab).
- Go to Settings → Manage Alerts
- Select your account
- Enable Transaction alerts
- Set the threshold to $0.01
Choose email delivery for use with Meli. Repeat the setup for each card you want to track.
PayPal and Venmo send payment emails automatically, so you usually don’t need to set up transaction alerts.
Put your transaction alerts to work.
Meli automatically turns supported transaction emails into spending records on your Mac. See where your money goes without entering every purchase.
Common questions
Does an alert mean something is wrong?
No. These are routine updates about your card activity.
Do I need Meli to receive transaction alerts?
No. Your bank sends the alerts, and you can read them without any other app. Meli is a way to turn supported alert emails into organized spending records.
Will I get an email for every purchase?
That depends on your bank, card, and alert settings. Many banks let you choose a minimum purchase amount. A low threshold includes more everyday purchases; refund alerts may need to be enabled separately. Follow your bank’s setup steps for the right settings.
Do alerts arrive immediately?
Some arrive soon after a transaction, while others take longer. Timing varies by bank and alert type. An alert may describe a pending authorization, so the final charge can change.
Do transaction alerts replace my bank statement?
No. They’re convenient activity updates. Keep reviewing your bank account and statements for final charges, balances, and payments. Alerts may not cover every transaction.
Does Meli need access to my bank account?
No. Meli uses the email inbox you authorize, without a bank connection or Plaid. Inbox permissions can be broader than transaction alert emails; supported alerts are processed locally on your Mac. Learn about Meli’s privacy approach.
Will Meli import purchases that don’t have an alert email?
Meli’s automatic imports depend on supported emails in your connected inbox. It can’t recover purchases that never appeared in an email. You can add missing transactions manually.