I'm wondering if other folks have one card that is linked to multiple accounts and if so, what your experience has been at ATMs in Italy. At my bank's ATM in the US, I choose which account I want to draw from (the last 4 digits of my account are provided). At European ATMs, I wonder if this option will not be available and if instead, it will default to the primary account.
Anyone have any first hand experience with this kind of a situation?
European ATM's ALWAYS default to your "primary" account.
I primarily use one ATM card linked to my primary account. If that one is lost or stolen, I use my backup ATM card linked to a second account. If my primary card is compromised, I can then go online and transfer funds to the secondary account and start using the backup ATM card.
If you have a single ATM/debit card linked to multiple accounts, European ATM's will always default to your "primary" account.
If you have two separate ATM cards tied to two separate unlinked accounts, you won't run into this issue.
Some folks posting to this board have had problems because they went to Europe leaving all their spending money in their "secondary" account at home, and then have not been able to access it at a European ATM. And you might not even realize what the problem is unless you're hip to this "primary/secondary" stuff.
Thanks folks for confirming the default to the primary account. I will be prepared for that in advance.
Also, call your bank and have them raise your daily withdrawal amount. $300 in US dollars does not go far in Italy.
