ATM problem

ATM problems can happen to anyone, for various reasons that are out of your control.

I have a Euros account with Citibank in Spain. You would think that would always work in Europe, but once I had a problem using it at any ATM after banking hours. I inquired at a CitiBank branch the next day. They said the problem was the police had asked them to turn off access to their system at night because of some criminal activity.

So, you never know. Best strategy is to carry at least two different debit cards, and a couple of credit cards. If the debit cards don't work and you must have cash, you can always go into a bank with your credit card and get a cash advance. Costs a little in interest, but better than the alternative of no cash.

I had the same problem with my BoA ATM card (not a Visa check card) in France on a trip starting May 16. We had called before the trip to give them the details. I called them they said they had the start date wrong and I should be able to use it the next day. It never worked. They finally said that the card was defective. I had used this card many times last summer. Based on your experience, I expect my card to work when I get home.

It's really, really hard to get a monkey out of an ATM, most will dispense elephants, however. :)

First thought is a demagnatized strip?

Second is that another person (family member/friend) was using a card for the same account in the US ?

Thanks, but the same card works now in USA. No one else was using our account, both of us were together at all times, no other user. We are perplexed as well because we never encountered this problem overseas.

As I said, we tried 3 different bank machine, BNP Paribas, Societe Generale and LCL bank, all had the same response.

Sampa,

I had a similar problem last year, ironically also in France. I also tried ATM machines at different Banks and in different cities, with no success. I was somewhat puzzled, as I'd used that same card on many previous trips and never any problems.

Fortunately I had a backup card which accessed the same chequing account, and that card worked flawlessly every time. I had another card from a different financial institution as well, but fortunately didn't need to use it.

I checked with my Credit Union when I returned home, and the problem was described as a "coding issue between Banks". It took ten days to sort this out.

My Bank had noticed the pattern of my ATM withdrawals - first trying my primary card with no success and then trying my backup card and obtaining cash. After a few days they phoned me to question this (which is a good reason to travel with a Cellphone and provide the number to the Bank, and in this case I didn't mind getting a call at 02:00). When I explained the situation, they told me to just continue using the backup card. If they hadn't been able to reach me, they probably would have "frozen" both cards, which would have been a real problem.

I used the same ATM cards on my trip this year in five different countries, and no issues at all.

Cheers!

If these failed transactions happened within a short time, and if you tried during the morning when you were in France, you may have tried while your local bank's database back home was dwn for maintenance or updating. I had this happen to me a few years ago. Since they usually take down computers in the wee hours of the morning, the six-hour time difference can catch you occasionally.

Norm's point is well taken. The time difference can also catch you on your "daily withdrawal limit." For example, if you hit an ATM at night and then again early the next morning, you might be (temporarily) frozen out. To you it's a different day; to your bank it might not be.

There's a reason I am no longer with BOA. The "it's not our fault and there's nothing we can do attitude" was too much to take. BOA told me very much the same thing when I called, but a later call got someone who said "oh yes, we put a hold on your account"