Debit Card eaten by ATM in Rome

linda, Is there any possibility she could visit the Bank during business hours, and retrieve the card? That would be the easiest solution. Is she travelling with any other cards, perhaps a credit card? If so, she could use that to obtain cash advances, however there's one important caveat to that approach. The interest rates are usually fairly steep on cash advances, but one way to avoid that would be (for you) to deposit funds in her credit card account, giving it a "credit balance". When she withdraws cash, she'll simply be accessing her own funds. How long will she be in Rome? If you can obtain another card in a reasonably short time, you'll probably have to register the card when it arrives (by phone?), and perhaps set-up a PIN (in some cases, they mail the PIN separately from the card, and that arrives within a few days of the card being delivered). Send the card via FedEx or UPS and then E-mail or text the PIN. Of course for that approach to work, she'll have to be consistently at one location for several days until the card is delivered. This is a good example of why I always travel with a "backup" ATM card. Good luck!

Don't know how long it will take credit card to get to you, is it local and could you pick it up or will they only mail it to you? Anyway, once you get it can you send it to her fedex or ups? Just an idea. Good luck.

Can she be trusted with a ton of cash all at once? That would only be one $27 transaction... Has she already departed Rome? Otherwise, she needs to go to that bank. Has she inquired yet as to why her card was taken? Did she let her bank know she'd be out of the country (or not)? Did she simply wait too long to take her card from the machine? Had she had any trouble with it there before?

Thanks for all the suggestions. Always helps to talk to a bank or credit union in person. They helped me out when I showed up at their door - got the new card in hand. She's attending college over there for a few weeks. Anyone know if it's better to use FedEx or UPS to ship it overnight?

Guess price might be the difference. Only thing I can tell you is that you should get to UPS or Fedex or a mailbox store asap with holiday weekend coming up. There is a UPS facility in West Chester and I think a fedex drop place in West Chester. Call UPS as they are closer to you and see if you can get it there by this evening or will have to wait until Tuesday.

Both Fedex and UPS are very reliable here in Rome. Either one should be fine for getting the card to her.

Linda, it is very importnat for your daughter to understnd that this may happen again. In many places in the EU, if you don't move quickly to the next step in the transaction, the ATM machine will swallow your card. I found that out the hard way. The solution; don't dilly dally, or you will have to go back the next day to the bank and get your card. That is why using a bank ATM is the best way to go. And now I ALWAYS carry two Debit cards and two VISA cards, from two separate banks.

My friend that I was traveling with had her card "eaten" on Saturday in Rome. Luckily I was able to access cash, but it really ruined my friends opinion of Rome. She went to the bank on Monday to see if she could get the card back, only banks were closed for memorial day in the USA so she could not get authorization to get the card back, and we left early the next day for home. It's going to take 7-10 days for her to get a new card now, and she is really ticked off about it.

I am confused as to why she did not go to the bank the next day (or the next business day) to get her card back. It has happened to me here in the states; just went back on Monday and got my card.

The card is on its way. Thank you for all your replies! Next time - multiple cards - multiple banks!!! The card would not be returned because it was suspected for fraud - even though I had contacted the bank prior to going to Italy. My bank said "doop" and reissued me a card on the spot. Should have had them pay the shipping too!

What does "doop" mean? And you saying that the bank here suspected fraud and somehow instructed the ATM in Italy to eat her card? And then the bank here cancels the card and issues a new one? This would be a better learning example for others if you explain what actually happened. Thanks.

This is why we only use ATM's attached to a bank, and only during banking hours. angela, why would your freind let that experience ruin her opinion of rome? It was not the city's fault.

Yes, ALWAYS at a bank and ALWAYS when the bank is open. That's my motto.

Well, she can be a bit of a drama queen like that. We were also rained on in Rome, and both of us suffered greatly from allergies there despite taking allergy meds. There was absolutely no reason for the ATM machine to eat the card. I think it was just a bit too much for her. Up until then it had been a fabulous trip, other than missing our train in Milan by 1 minute. And getting woken at 4 am in Verona by the earthquake.

angela, why would your freind let that experience ruin her opinion of rome? It was not the city's fault. Also not the city's fault that it rained. Or that an earthquake woke her up. She should be glad she wasn't in Bologna or Ferrara. A little rain, a little shaking, and the loss of an ATM card (it would never have been "eaten" for no reason - there's a reason somewhere, either multiple wrong PINs, too much time, account blocked, failure to notify, etc.,) is pretty small potatoes.