Debit Card Damaged

Always take a backup card. I also get a new card issued just before I leave, so I know the mag strip is not scratched.

I am not sure what the answer is because we have never had that problem. It is called back-up. We carry two debit cards each for two different accounts. However, in about 15 years of travel we have never had a debit card that failed. We have had a few rejected by the ATM but always worked at the next one.

Best solution is to carry two cards.

dean,

As the others have mentioned, it's always a good idea to carry at least one "backup" debit card. Usually this will be on a different account, as most financial institutions seem to be reluctant to issue two cards on the same account to one person (although your SO should be able to obtain a card if it's a joint account?). Having at least one credit card is also a good idea IMO.

Note that your travel funds must be in a chequing account, using a four-number PIN.

It's highly unlikely that you'd be able to walk into a Bank in Europe and withdraw funds using only the number on the card.

Cheers!

One other step I take, too, before I leave, is to write a cheque from my primary account to my secondary account. If the first debit card is lost/stolen/broken, I call or e-mail home and tell them to fill out an amount and deposit it into my secondary account, so I have funds readily available. This is useful if your accounts are at two separate banks, or if you don't want to get on the internet at a foreign site and transfer the money electronically.

Norm,

I usually estimate how much money I'll need during a trip, and set up "pre-programmed" transfers to my Chequing account (as well as payments for bills while I'm away). That way if the card is lost or whatever, there's not a huge sum of money sitting in the account.

If I happen to need more funds than anticipated, I just phone the Call Centre operated by my financial institution (within business hours), and ask them to take care of transfers (I always pack my Cell phone). As an alternative, I can use telephone banking (I'm also a bit nervous about using computers in Net Cafes for things like that).

Cheers!

It is highly unlikely you would be able to withdraw money from a bank in Europe just using the number that is on your debit card.

Debit cards numbers only track the card, the connection to your actual bank account is done electronically. The only way a bank employee could/would manually type in your card number and access your account is if it was a branch of the card issuing bank.

Since there are very few companies that have branches in both North America and Europe that offer walk up service and even less likely their computer systems would be connected don't count on anything. Instead follow the advice above: get a backup card.

Pete

Thanks for the help everybody...
I think a back-up card is the way to go.
I would hate to be so far from home and not be able to get cash when needed.
Thanks

Forgot to add that our emergency cash back up plan (if both debit cards fail) is cash advance on a credit card. Since we carry three credit cards, surely one will work.

While each my wife and I have Debit cards, so always at least one back-up, I do have two credit cards, including one with cash withdrawal at an ATM capability, and of course usually a couple hundred in cash stashed somewhere.

If you have a card with a Visa or MasterCard logo on it (so not a credit card, but one associated with one of these credit card companies) then it is possible to get a replacement so long as you have the foreign contact numbers for your card (get these from your bank). If it is a regular debit card that does not have a credit card logo on the front, then only your bank will give you a replacement.