but the debit card doesn't provide the same protection that Visa/MC do.

I do get a bit worried about this, but my current solution is to just keep enough money for what I expect to spend in my checking account it's linked to. The rest sits in my savings account, and a quick online session or ATM transaction can raise that. I wish there was better security on debit cards though. Because for me, it was my only way of ordering an empeg back when the Mark 1 shipped. The world requires that people have a credit card number, but are unwilling to risk giving one to someone with no credit (not bad credit mind you), and who dosen't have thousands in student loans.