US ATM cards not working

E V Waight · Apr 22, 2023

trecile said:
It's never been a problem for me. I make sure to notify my bank before I leave that I will be using my card in Europe.

Never had an issue. Sounds to me more like an issue with not giving your bank a "travel advisory"

KB Jaffe · Apr 22, 2023

E V Waight said:
Never had an issue. Sounds to me more like an issue with not giving your bank a "travel advisory"

I’ve had to try 3 different banks before I found an ATM that worked…my bank said it was something in the local ATM rejecting the transaction…

cujof16 · Apr 22, 2023

Visa... worked in every atm and card machine I've used for the last 30days. In Palas de rei. Use visa MasterCard and Amex are not as ubiquitous. Discover... cut it up.

WGroleau · Apr 22, 2023

trose said:
I am hearing today from a number of American travelers that they are experiencing problems with getting euros at bank ATM machines with US issued debit cards. It involves a number of people from around the US and different banks. The Spanish banks have said that it is not a problem with thier end. Has anyone on this forum heard any rumors of this. I am leaving on Monday for the CF so I’m trying to be prepared.

I have spent a total of seventeen months in Spain, spread out over 2015-2018. I carry a credit card and a debit card from a credit union, and a debit card from an unrelated bank. ONE day out of all that time none of the cards worked in ATMs at several banks in one Spanish city. I used WiFi in one shop to contact the credit union, and after getting information from them, I concluded that the city had an internet outage and that the ATM messages were misleading.
Summary: American cards will almost always work fine in Spain. (And for what it's worth, I have never had a problem in two dozen other countries. The only other problem was when an ATM in the Beijing airport demanded a six-digit PIN when all my cards have four-digit PINs.)

Lost Pilgrims · Apr 22, 2023

C clearly said:
Are people aware that they should check each ATM to be sure that the displayed logos match one of the logos on their card? E.g "Interac", "Plus", "Cirrus"?

Incidentally, the two largest banks in Canada do not want to be notified anymore when we travel.

Which banks woukd they be? I bank with CIBC.

C clearly · Apr 22, 2023

Lost Pilgrims said:
Which banks woukd they be? I bank with CIBC.

RBC and BMO for me. Post #59 above says CIBC is the same - no notification needed or expected.

Ladybird1093 · Apr 23, 2023

trose said:
I am hearing today from a number of American travelers that they are experiencing problems with getting euros at bank ATM machines with US issued debit cards. It involves a number of people from around the US and different banks. The Spanish banks have said that it is not a problem with thier end. Has anyone on this forum heard any rumors of this. I am leaving on Monday for the CF so I’m trying to be prepared.

Have you heard about Revolut? They are popular in Europe. They are prepaid debit cards and you can withdraw up to $1000 a month from ATMs without a fee. I haven't used it yet but I'm planning to take it to Spain. Supposedly, getting Euros from ATMs is cheaper than buying them elsewhere.

Pilgrim9 · Apr 23, 2023

trose said:
I am hearing today from a number of American travelers that they are experiencing problems with getting euros at bank ATM machines with US issued debit cards. It involves a number of people from around the US and different banks. The Spanish banks have said that it is not a problem with thier end. Has anyone on this forum heard any rumors of this. I am leaving on Monday for the CF so I’m trying to be prepared.

Not necessarily relevant to this specific situation, but when using an ATM in a foreign country, one should remain alert to the possibility that the layout of the buttons in the PIN-Pad is not the same as that to which one has become accustomed at home. This can trip up users who rely too much on "muscle memory" when keying in their PIN, without actually looking at the markings on the buttons. Crowding up close to the ATM and/or shielding the PIN-Pad with one's other hand (to prevent others from seeing the PIN) increases the chances of making this mistake.

Repeatedly keying in an incorrect PIN can of course trigger the cancellation or lockout of the card.

I have made this mistake myself.

Former member 107885 · Apr 23, 2023

Ladybird1093 said:
Have you heard about Revolut? They are popular in Europe. They are prepaid debit cards and you can withdraw up to $1000 a month from ATMs without a fee. I haven't used it yet but I'm planning to take it to Spain. Supposedly, getting Euros from ATMs is cheaper than buying them elsewhere.

I think there are fees after your initial ‘free allowance’. Think you are from USA so may be better products for you, unless you like the ‘reassurance’ of loading cash up front. ! Lots of folks mention Charles Schwab. I don’t know the details as financial ‘products’ in USA seem very different from European (my continent) ones is some ways!

Sho · Apr 24, 2023

My credit cards no longer want a travel alert, but the Schwab debit card does (as of April, 2023).

WalkingJane · May 1, 2023

trecile said:
It's never been a problem for me. I make sure to notify my bank before I leave that I will be using my card in Europe.

I notified my bank before leaving the US, then used ATMs at banks during their open hours so I could walk in and get help if I had a problem. Worked for me.

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