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Travel Advice - What to do when the ATM eats your card
One of the most discomforting money issues that can occur while you are
traveling is to have an ATM swallow your card during an attempted
transaction. If it is a weekend, you may not see your card again until the
bank re-opens. (You did use an ATM at a bank?) Getting your ATM card back
usually delays travel and, if you have not managed your pocket cash
effectively, can spell disaster (see our article
Take a blend of cash and cash equivalents
for suggestions on how to avoid this situation).
Most of us have great faith in ATMs and have not had a “bad experience”
using these handy cards. Most of the time, we use
ATMs provided by "our personal bank" and know that if there is a problem, we can visit or telephone the bank to discuss an
immediate remedy.
The same feeling of satisfaction is absent while using ATMs on the
road, especially when traveling internationally.
- Although a variety of
networks allow you to use ATM cards internationally, customer service
degrades significantly if you are not dealing with your “home” bank.
- It
degrades even further if the ATM is not part of a reputable bank network.
- We advise that you use only
those ATMs physically located at a bank or bureau de change
rather than stand-alone ATM kiosks.
- ATMs in airport arrival halls usually are
managed by one of the airport's authorized businesses and should be OK
to use.
- The main reason for using ATMs physically connected with banks lies in
the possible malfunction of the ATM.
- If the ATM at the bank “eats” your card, at
least your card is in the bank and not sitting in a machine with
an unknown service schedule.
- If your card is "eaten" at an ATM Kiosk, it may
prove difficult to determine when the machine will be serviced or to
contact the company responsible for servicing the kiosk to arrange
for return of the card.
If your card is not returned after a transaction at an
ATM located in a bank:
- Discuss the issue with a bank official (who has a
stake in seeing that the machine is repaired and in
working order as soon as possible, to serve the needs of their customers).
- Usually the ATMs process cards on a cycle and the bank staff will not be
able to retrieve your card from the ATM for approximately one half hour.
- Be prepared to identify yourself and fill out personal documentation
before they return your card.
If your card is “eaten” in an after hours transaction
(at a bank):
- You will need to
wait for the bank to open before you can retrieve your card.
- Although our
experience is that ATM’s do not often “eat” ATM cards, we have had this
happen during travel.
- If you absolutely cannot wait for the bank to
reopen, abandon your card and
immediately call the card issuer, provide details of the situation, and
request immediate cancellation of the card and determine if they can
provide a new one to you at one of your destinations (this may be very
difficult if not impossible).
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