[Idyllchat] Warning: ATM problems in Italy (and maybe elsewhere?!)

[Bill Kover]

  Terry:
  After arriving in Paris in April, we went to the nearest ATM.  To my surprise, my card came out but no money.  So I went inside the bank and found someone who spoke English.  She suggested that I may have asked for too high an amount.  I had asked for 500?.  She had me put my card in the ATM inside the bank, and request a lower amount (200?).  This time it worked.  We were told by our friends living in Paris that some banks in Paris will only work with amounts as small as 60?.  So the amount you request makes a big difference.

  Bill Kover  
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Terry Baraldi 
    To: idyllchat at lists.untours.com 
    Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2008 6:58 PM
    Subject: [Idyllchat] Warning: ATM problems in Italy (and maybe elsewhere?!)


    I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has had a recent bad experience using ATMs abroad?
    Our long awaited vacation was nearly ruined due to problems my husband and I had accessing our money in Italy. 

    After advising bank (we'll call it "W") of our travel dates, my husband and I arrived in Rome and went to the nearest BancoMat, only to have our cards spit back out advising us to contact our bank.  Exact wording was "Your bank has requested that we return your card".

    First phone call to "W" lasted 27 minutes (@ $1.29 per on my cell).  This scenario was repeated not less than five times during the next 14 days.  Our cards would work sporadically, but we never knew when it would shut down again, requiring yet another 1/2 hr phone call to the US.  

    FYI: "W"'s internt'l toll-free number did not work in Italy and I estimate that my phone bills will top $200.  And what would I have done if I hadn't brought my cell phone?  Or been with friends who could access their accounts and float us a loan?

    First call: I was told that, even though I had advised "W" as I should, the problem was with VISA, who, as their co-partner, had a deeper security protocol, and could and might very well block my card at any point in time, and "W", so sorry, had no control over that, but no, I couldn't call VISA myself....excuse me????  Had to answer a very odd multiple choice security test. 

    Subsequent calls: 

    They blamed the European bank machines.  Had to re-take the multiple choice security test.

    They were protecting us against fraud (but apparently not against finding ourselves penniless in a foreign land), and they could only unblock our cards for three business days.  (Let us slide on the test)

    Then they told us that they really didn't know what the problem was, but, if we would just answer some multiple choice security questions we could continue to enjoy our vacation, and thanks for calling "W".

    Finally we were told that we were trying to take too much money per 24 hrs.  

    NOTE: The access limit with most all banks seems to be set at around $400 per 24 hrs...which at the current rate of exchange is only slightly more than 250 Euros, which, based on the fairly high cost of living in major European cities, is not a comfortable amount...especially when some smaller hotels, eateries, and many retailers still want payment in cash.  While our traveling companions did not have the same repeated problems with blocked access, we all experienced hitting the limit.  

    Will travelers need to revert to travelers' checks and cash advances?  

    I don't know if this is an endemic problem or one specific to my soon-to-be-former bank, but I do blame "W" for 
    not advising me of any of these new security levels or possible pitfalls during my pre-trip phonecall.  And I think that they should have been responsible for interfacing with VISA security.

    So...If you are planning a trip, my advice is to thoroughly question your bank prior to departure, and to see if they will increase your access limits for a defined period....after all, it is your money.  

    The capper is that during all this, "W" left a message on our home phone...seems there was some unusual activity on our card that they wanted to ask us about.  I couldn't make this stuff up!



    Terry Baraldi
    Lansdowne PA


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