Using ATMs abroad?

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had this problem - my DH is out of the country for work and ATM card is not working. He called our bank ahead of time to let them know he'd be in Asia on business. I called the bank and they tell me the card is fine. But he's tried 3 different ATMs and it won't work.

I've had the same thing happen to me when I was in Canada and my card kept getting declined at ATMs- Bank of America swore the card was fine but my boss was able to use his Citibank card with no problem. Any ideas on what is going on?

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

I'm not sure. I've used mine in Amsterdam, Belgium, England, & Germany with no problems. Maybe the ATMs he is trying don't participate with the systems your bank uses? There should be stickers on the ATMs saying what systems they use, and on DHs card it should also say. Maybe have him check that? Or ask the bank if the systems they participate in are available in the country he is in?

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

I used my Citibank in the Dominican Republic. I'm very surprised it isn't working in Asia.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

This happened to us after we came back from Canada/Alaska cruise.

Apparently, someone had taken DH's card number and was trying to complete a bunch of transactions in Romania. Commerce noticed it and shut the card off before anything could go through.

The first THREE people we spoke to had no idea what was going on until we spoke to a supervisor.

Maybe it is something like that?

ETA: We also told Commerce we were going on an Alaska cruise and we were going to use the card for our seapass as well as in Canada, that is why they picked it up so quickly.

Message edited 6/24/2007 11:23:17 AM.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

Thanks for the suggestions. I think we definitely need to switch from Bank of America because no one who has Citibank seems to have these problems with their ATM cards.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

Here's a silly question. We have a Bank of America debit card and a Bank of America credit card. They look EXACTLY this same. There was one time I was accidentally trying to use the credit card on the machine and got ticked off when it wouldn't let me. Could this be the case, by any chance? When you try to use the credit card on the machine, it lets you go through all the steps until you actually attempt to take money out, which is kind of crazy to me. Why would it even work at all?

Message edited 6/24/2007 12:43:10 PM.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

I've used my Citibank ATM card all over the world and never had a problem.

But DH's HSBC ATM card did not work in Paris at various HSBC ATM's. He did call them when we got home and I forgot exactly what they told him but it was something like they assumed it was stolen since he had only previously used the card in the US.

Since your DH called in advance about using it abroad I don't get why it wouldn't work?

Message edited 6/24/2007 2:50:34 PM.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

We ran into a minor glitch in Italy with our ATM card. Apparently, we could only withdraw a certain amount of foreign funds per day. Luckily, we had backup.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

This happened to me on our honeymoon. There is an international number on the back of my card that we called. They walked me though a whole bunch of security questions. We tried it again later that night and it worked.
Et: I have Bank of America also once I called the number they fixed it.

Message edited 6/24/2007 4:29:37 PM.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

i know when i went to italy with my university i called my bank before i left and they did something to the card

now, a lot of people DIDN'T do this and had no problem but some people had a hold put on their card bc it was being used internationally.

also - they only accept 4 digit pins internationally.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

when I went to italy in 2005,
my Bank of NY card worked, but my HSBC did not work at all. I called both banks before I left and told them I'd be using the card in Italy, both said I'd be fine.

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

When I was in Japan we had to go to international ATMs, usually found at the post office. Could that be it?

Re: Using ATMs abroad?

I have Wachovia and I had no problems using ATMs back in February when I was in China -- and I didn't have to call them first or anything like that.

My brother had horrible customer service issues with BoA... He switched to Wachovia now, too, and loves them.