ATM in Paris - Won't accept my cards

We have recently had the same problem using our American bank's chip and pin card which apparently is not configured for European ATMs and machines . I was surprised to see a lot of people are having this issue- https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/chip-pin-cards What we have had to do is get cash from tellers at the banks in Europe. You can do that so you won't be without cash.

I used a Chase debit card at BNP Paribas in April several times and had no problems.

This may not be the problem but just a suggestion? Sometimes ATMs will only dispense up to a certain dollar amount and will reject the transaction if the amount entered exceeds that. I remember some ATMS in Paris which would only work with amounts up to $200 or $300. I don't know how much you are trying to pull but you might try a lesser amount?

You do get connection glitches for time to time; happened to me in Canada over a weekend once.

ATMs do still contain chip and mag-stripe readers, despite the latter assisting skimming fraud.

This exact thing happened to me in Japan. What fixed my problem was going to an ATM with the Cirrus logo. Not sure if this is your issue but it's worth a shot.

I so the same as Swan and always try to use a BNP Paribas as suggested by my 21 day BOE guide.

I'd be glad to tell you the one I used most often last Sept in Paris if it is in your neighborhood.

Sorry you are having trouble. Ugh.

http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/money-and-insurance/atms-abroad

Finding an ATM
If your ATM card is linked to the PLUS, Cirrus or Maestro networks, you have the option of using it to obtain cash virtually anywhere in the U.S. and in hundreds of countries worldwide. Each network has more than a million ATMs. The PLUS network is associated with Visa, so your Visa card will usually work at those ATMs. Likewise, the Cirrus and Maestro networks are associated with MasterCard, and so ATMs marked with these logos usually accept MasterCard for cash advances.
Before you leave home with just your ATM card, however, make sure that the Cirrus, Maestro or PLUS networks are readily available where you're going. While these networks are increasingly common overseas, they are still only available at a limited number of banks in selected countries. Each network has an online ATM locator:
Check the back of your card to see which networks your card is linked to. If your card is not a part of either Cirrus or PLUS, you may find it difficult to find ATMs to use abroad. Contact your bank for assistance.
Using Your Card Abroad
atm key pad keypad pin number codeIf you want to use your ATM card overseas, keep in mind that many ATMs abroad, particularly in Europe, do not accept PINs longer than four digits. If your PIN is longer, contact your bank to have it changed. Also, if your PIN is based on letters rather than numbers, translate the letters into numbers before leaving the country. Many ATMs only have numbers on the keypad. One more thing to keep in mind: Most ATMs abroad will only let you access the primary account on your ATM card.

Chase issues a debit card and the credit card. My credit card is chip and sign--they don't issue Chip and Pin. Do any American Banks issue Chip and Pin? i think that they are Chip and Sign as that is what the upcoming deadline is about. I wonder if the Chip and Sign cards are the ones that give problems at ATMs, as they certainly not designed for use with this non-staffed machines when you use the Pin. Maybe they have configured so that the swipe aspect of the Chip and Sign doesn't work either with non-staffed machines. The Debit card is strictly swipe.

Why oh why didn't they just go with the world standard????

Sigh.

Pam

The only time(s) this has happened to me were on weekends when the bank was closed or if I asked for more € than the machine would/could dispense. Sometimes those two situations seem to be related.

It happened most recently, in Hydra in late October on a Sunday. I asked for less €, and it worked. I went back a couple of days later, when the bank was open and I was able to get a larger withdrawal with no problems.

I always use ATMs at banks.

And here's an article that is clearly dates as it states " in rare occasions, magstripe cards may not work outside of the United States." There have been too many reports lately for this to be a "rare" occasion.

It has nothing to do with the chip or non-chip aspect of the card. All US chip cards still have a magnetic strip that will work in ATM machines and all ATM machines are still configured to accept magnetic strips.

I have found, not infrequently, that sometimes my card will not work at an ATM. Never sure why, it just won't process the transaction. So I try another machine, usually with a different bank.

You might also double check with your bank. Just because you let them know doesn't mean they didn't lock it anyway.

"You might also double check with your bank. Just because you let them know doesn't mean they didn't lock it anyway."

Yes, this is very important - I've seen several posts over the years that even though people had called before their trip, they had to call again during the trip to get the card "released" for foreign transactions. The customer service people, often, simply don't know what they're doing, particularly when it comes to foreign travel.

It's also possible your card expired; this happened to my sister. She only figured it out when she got back from her trip; she had to use a credit card at an ATM to get cash. Yes, this has high fees - but it's better than no cash at all.

Yes, the issue of chip and pin vs chip and signature vs swipe and signature, for now, is only for credit cards and only for purchases. Debit and ATM cards work in ATM's with a PIN and without a chip. Credit cards (any kind) work for cash withdrawals at ATM's, if you know the PIN.

I appreciate the ideas guys and gals. For a few hours I walked around and tried several more ATMs. No luck. Visa told me over the phone they have having major issues reported for their ATMs due to a server issue and they are working on it so it's possible I'm caught up in that.

I'm now planning on giving up until Monday morning and I will get a cash advance on my card from a bank assuming one will help me. In the future I will go back to gettin my cash from home and paying the crappy exchange rates before visiting Europe until I don't hear that this is an issue. I'll just be light on money until Monday (hopefully).

Banks will rarely do service with a non customer in Europe; they are not in the tourist cash business and most don't even keep much cash on the premises. American express used to cash checks for customers but those offices are mostly gone too.

We have never had problems with ATMS but we also carry a second bank atm card in case it does happen.

ebravo,

While this suggestion won't help you on this occasion, your dilemma is one reason I always travel with one or more "backup" cards. I've also suffered ATM card problems on holiday, which meant that I wasn't able to obtain cash using my primary card for almost a week. Fortunately I had a backup card so that solved the problem. It turned out the problem was some kind of "coding error" in their data system.

It sounds like the Server problem is a good possibility for your current problems. Hopefully your bank will get this sorted shortly.

I have pulled cash from these ATMs:

HSBC ATMs, Paris
51 Boulevard Saint Germain
-- South on Bd. Saint Michel, head East

107 Bd. Saint Germain
-- South on Bd. Saint Michel, head West

28 Rue di Rivoli
-- East of Hotel de Ville

Ave Champs-Elysees
-- Street corner behind Louis Vuitton

It is also useful to have an ATM card with a local bank where you have a relationship with an actual banker. We were stranded in China with ATM card problems once and because we could contact an actual human were able to get it straightened out from there.

Janettravels noite re ATMs in China brings to mind the backup plan to failed ATMs is bringing a supply of USD denominated cash.

While ATMs work in large Chinese cities the sure thing is US dollars preferably clean new 100 USD bills. The Chinese banks and large Western oriented hotels in major cities exchange USD for Chinese RMB for guest an not bad exchange rates. The Shanghai hotel we recently visited did have a $1000USD exchange limit.

The point being for European travel, carrying several hundred in USD denominated currency is a good way to access currency realizing you get a poor exchange rate at a FX kiosk. The USD after all is the world's reserve currency. And if your ATM card works, you have only lost the interest you would have earned leaving it in you interest earning account.

The reply from Lo is worth attention. ATMs have various maximum withdrawal levels, set both by the card issuer and the machine operator. When the amount requested is too high, the reply is usually a cryptic warning that the function cannot be completed, rather than a frank explanation. Starting over with a request for a lower amount may be the teeth-gnashing solution.

Charles schwab bank debit card. True chip and pin
Andrews federal credit union visa. True chip and pin

Could be you are asking for too much. I had the same problem when I asked for 300 euro but no problem if I asked for 200 or 250. Also, La Poste (post office) seems to always work and gives good rates and smaller bills.

This obviously relates to the issue discussed here (ad nauseum): whether to bring a couple days worth of euros from home, or show up at the airport with no cash.
This probably only has to happen to you once, to change your mind about that issue.
I guess it's the old How lucky do you feel?

I was able to withdraw money today. I'm not sure what to attribute that to but perhaps its the visa server ATM issue.

For those expressing other options, I tried low and high and mid amounts for my withdrawals. I also brought several backups which didn't work either. For some reason all of my cards are visa so maybe I can get a mastercard for the future to diversify.

I travel to Europe at least 4 times per year for work and the first sniff of this issue was in Germany a few months ago but it was more due to the chip, not ATM.

Until I hear that across the board there aren't any issues I will be taking a wad of cash over with me and just losing on the exchange to avoid the problem again. Especially in France.

ebravo,
Glad to hear the good news.

For anyone who travels to Europe frequently I would suggest taking out of the ATM towards the end of a trip enough float for the first couple of days of the next, if it is mainly to euro countries.

We make sure to come home with enough euros to get us through that next first day off the plane!

Sounds like your issues resolved, but thought I'd post this for others.

We have a capital one checking account with a visa debit card. I discovered this problem when I tested the cards right before our trip. If I selected the "fast cash" option, the withdrawal was declined. I'm not remembering the exact options, but apparently the fast cash pointed to a savings account at Capital one, which we don't have. So by picking "other" options or manually entering the amount, I was then asked to select savings or checking. Once I picked checking, the card worked. I'd forgotten about this in Costa Rica last year and same thing- the "fast cash" didn't work.

We just returned from Scotland, England, and western France. Both Visa, mag strip, debit cards - U.S. Bank local credit union - worked fine. On past trips have had a few times when a card didn't work but it was always related to the ATM and not the card.

The first reply above suggests getting cash from a bank teller in Europe. I ask how one does this. Unless you are a bank customer it is unlikely they will serve you. That has been my experience, anyway. Could Terri Lynn perhaps tell us which bank she has dealt with in Paris?

A tip for North Americans on using debit cards at ATMS in Europe. In notifying your bank or credit union ahead of departure, give your arrival date a day or two earlier than scheduled. Give the Friday before if you are arriving on a weekend or Monday.

I would call your bank, they have toll free numbers. If you don't have a phone than buy a calling card and call them toll free. It may be something simple. We have had this happen. Even if you called the bank a head we have found that if you call more than a few days they sometimes drop the notification. I would start simple before I panic. This sounds to me like a weird thing that may not happen again. We have always brought some money with us. I know if is not popular to pay the exchange rate but we feel better with a couple hundred Euro's. Since you travel so much why not just bring money home with you for the next trip. We have been trying to bring back Euro's since the rate is low now. I feel that in the computer world we live in you can't always count on everything working properly, I find some of these problems actually come up at home too.