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Travel Notice - Automatic Teller Machines ATM's
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by Babel-Fish | July 30, 2009 at 04:36 am
492 views | 11 Recommendations | 9 comments
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If you are traveling to Asia and South East Asia there is big problems concerning the International ATM system. Some times Visa Cards do not work. Seemingly its impossible to obtain cash from an ATM if your using a Cirrus or Master Card.
This information should of come from the corporate companies that run the system but they never inform the media when they have problems on any part of the global ATM systems. They leave it up to the unfortunate card user, that needs to top up with cash when traveling, on business or for pleasure.
Simply when the system is down in the area and the country that you may visit, they expect you the card holder, to keep going to the ATM maybe for many days at a time, keep on trying to obtain money from the ATM.
The banks that host the ATM are never informed that there is a problem on the system, so they can inform the customers that use the ATM's. That there is a problem, what the problem is and how long till the problem may take to fix, approximately.
This can mean a tourist can be stranded with out cash, or, an ex-pat such as I am. That has no money to pay for food, or, rent and has to rely on a friend or family, to electronically send money by Weston Union, or, by some other means.
These company's do not care a damn, In fact when an ATM pays short or no money, but the correct amount asked for is registered on your bank account. They hold on to the cash far to long and use that held money to invest and make interest.
Really they should be made accountable, to report to the media and the banks concerned, of any maintenance or problems taking place on their network. If it going to disrupt the system more than an hour or two. So that travels can be aware of the problem, take measures before traveling such as: obtaining travelers cheque's.
Why don't they give a warnings on their websites now that would be very, very, helpful.
http://www.mastercard.com/index.html
No customer care what so ever!
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (9)
at 05:03 on July 30th, 2009
I mad and very angry to day I visited ATM machines 40 odd times, my funds have been exhausted but I have a nice hefty balance in my bank. But I can not get to it because the international system is not connecting to my bank in UK the Philippines.
Its been a problem for 3 or 4 days I am told at one time all international card could not use the international system. Now it seems just Cirrus and Master Card. My bank in UK told me to keep on trying as the system is working intermittently. However I am fed up at looking at ATM screens. Thankfully a friend is lending and sending some cash by Weston Union tomorrow morning.
I have found it so hard to get information from the Banks that have ATM's outside some have said they had phoned master card and left a message for a person in the know to ring them back. No further response from Master Card.
I know I am not the only one that has the same problem, But if I was warned or could get information from Master Cards website: I could of made plans to obtain cash in some other fashion and not wasted my time by trying to obtain money from the ATM's. If I also knew when the system was expected to be on line again wouldn't that just be great. Wow I would say how caring this corporation is. But now I feel like taking a hammer to an ATM machine.
On top of that its been raining hard to day, real cats and dog stuff and when I finally came home whoops there was a damn power cut. Thankfully it only lasted about an hour and the candle light dinner was canceled for a well illuminated one.
I hate borrowing and that all way's makes me depressed when I am left with no other option to do so.
Tomorrow I will carry on the ATM roulette hoping that money finally appears in the slot or tray. But its a gamble, as this could go on for days.
at 06:04 on July 30th, 2009
Good Luck with obtaining what is rightfully yours. I agree with you banks and other financial institutions take very little responsibility for what are their mistakes at their ATMs at our expenses.
When travelling I went to an ATM inside the bank - thinking it was safer to pin a larger amount. To my dismay everything went well and then it said 'please take your money', but the d*mn thing didn't open. So no money, nada. I could hear it rustling, stuck on the other side of a thin strip of plastic and then being swallowed back in again. I was charged the large amount without having received it. Only weeks later did the bank correct their mistake - leaving me travelling and almost cahsless all that time. The b*stards.
Bring on the regulations!
at 06:48 on July 30th, 2009
A fellow suffer to boot... Something really needs to be done but who can do it? Governments maybe?
Could I take them to the international court of human rights?
at 07:24 on July 30th, 2009
I don't think so :(
Perhaps you could sue them for damages incurred in a Phillipine court. But they'll win, because they've got the money.
I'd try to have a good time and do something completely different - after money has been to you wired of course. If you can't win, enjoy yourself instead ;)
Good Luck from, for a change, sunny Holland.
at 08:20 on July 30th, 2009
I can try... lol
There are some of your countries citizens down here also having this problem, its still raining here just after midnight.
best wishes
at 12:47 on July 30th, 2009
Good information here - sorry to hear about your troubles today.
at 00:59 on September 15th, 2009
I have been trying all the banks in town ALL day - no cash and not even a valid reason just "Sorry we cannot process your transaction at this time". I've spent hours on the phone to ANZ Australia and they say everything's OK with my card - meanwhile I watch scores of people getting cash - not seen ant foreigners here though in Bohol apart from one boy who told me his card allows withdrawals from his credit account only - I will only try that when I am starving to avoid giving those GREEDY f....ers anything more than than already exorbitant fees!
at 09:46 on July 31st, 2009
Well I received an email from Master Card HQ hopefully I will know whats going on soon.
at 23:38 on September 14th, 2009
did you hear anything from them?I've just come out to Jordan to study abroad and I can't use either of my cards here and i have only 10dinars left. And the bank just keep telling me to keep trying. The annoying thing is, my fiance has no problem getting cash out with his card, but neither my friends or I have had any luck. Have you?