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ATM card?

Alan F.

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Member Number
653
Posts
407
Location
Haverhill, MA, USA
I'm watching a ride video on YouTube and the very first morning this solo rider's ATM card was eaten by an ATM.

It dawned on me that my bank will issue me a new ATM card on the spot, but it'll have a different number..... But if I order a few weeks ahead I can get a card in the mail that uses the same card number, but it won't be activated until I log into an ATM with it using my existing PIN#. I don't know if I can do this at ANY ATM or just my bank's ATMs.

Once a few years back I received the new card but thought they were still gonna send me a preselected pin (because that's how they did it up until then) I never did get that new PIN# and learned months later that the new card would work seamlessly with my existing PIN#, I'd just need to activate it at an ATM.


My point is that it seems wholly possible to carry a spare, unactivated ATM card, and not have to sit around waiting for a bank to open, or worse losing a whole day or more waiting for a new card to be overnighted.

Thoughts?
 
Cash still works!
Not everywhere….I was just in Springdale, UT at Zion National Park and several places did not take cash. Plus, you can’t make reservations without a credit card.

I had an ATM card seized/swallowed in Norway fifteen years ago……the bank made us change the PIN, I couldn’t remember the assigned number, and after three tries the card was inhaled. This occurred at the appropriately named Fokus Bank in Oslo.
 
I'd rather just carry a completely separate card or two and not worry about it past making sure that the problem card was inactivated. Whatever led to the dead card, it shouldn't affect the other cards unless you have much more serious problems.
Absolutely. Cards can get hacked so it doesn't have to be an ATM malfunction. I don't know if things have changed in recent years but two different people at work had their debit cards hacked and their accounts emptied. At least with a credit card hack you don't wind up with a zero balance account.
 
Why does the machine eat the card? :dunno

I've used ATMs for decades without an issue.

Years ago my friend was all wasted and went to an ATM machine. It wouldn't take his card so he used a key to get the card in. Turns out he jammed it into the reciept printer slot. :fpalm

He went back in the morning to get his card. I'm sure the bank folks had a good laugh watching that CCTV footage! :photog
 
Absolutely. Cards can get hacked so it doesn't have to be an ATM malfunction. I don't know if things have changed in recent years but two different people at work had their debit cards hacked and their accounts emptied. At least with a credit card hack you don't wind up with a zero balance account.
These days most banks cover debit cards like credit cards. If charges are fraudulent, they replace the money.

Like Zoomer, I always carry at least two cards, and only use credit cards when traveling, which I do a lot. Much less risk. I also carry a few hundred dollars in cash, just in case.
 
I didn't know banks still issued ATM cards. I have tried but have only been offered Debit cards which I refuse to use. I use credit cards for almost everything. Why use a debit card when credit card companies will pay you to use their cards? I get a few hundred dollars back every year.
 
These days most banks cover debit cards like credit cards. If charges are fraudulent, they replace the money.

Like Zoomer, I always carry at least two cards, and only use credit cards when traveling, which I do a lot. Much less risk. I also carry a few hundred dollars in cash, just in case.
My two coworkers who had that happen got the money back but in the meantime had no way of buying anything.
 
I didn't know banks still issued ATM cards. I have tried but have only been offered Debit cards which I refuse to use. I use credit cards for almost everything. Why use a debit card when credit card companies will pay you to use their cards? I get a few hundred dollars back every year.
That’s a good point.
 
Like JVB and Zoomer, I always have two cards. My wife and I went to Key West years ago and tried to pay for dinner only to find that the card had been compromised. The card issuer was helpful and overnighted one to our hotel. Fortunately, I had a second card and enough cash so I didn't have to wash dishes for the rest of the evening.

Also, I keep extra emergecy cash in my vehicles. If I forget or lose my wallet I can still buy fuel or necessities. I keep a 1/10th ounce gold coin in my wallet too. It's less liquid than cash, but it's a U.S. mint coin so at least it's recognizeable. I don't know what scenario that could come in handy but I like having it none the less.

2022-06-08 10.09.10 - Copy.jpg
 
I carry 2 personal credit cards and a debit card and some cash everyday. The credit cards get first priority and the debit card only goes in reputable ATMs. I use the same logic as above. The credit card rewards are good and when fraud is detected, the card companies will fight a little harder for their money than the bank would for mine.
 
I work at a bank and am oftentimes helping with ATM repairs or hearing customer stories of lost cards and fraud. I never use my bank debit card for purchases, locally or when travelling, only use credit cards. I know our fleet of ATM's will not 'eat' your card since it is mechanically impossible.
 
Most current ATMs are more of an, "Insert card" situation where the card never physically leaves your sight.

Back in the old days the card, once inserted would enter the machine, out of reach, out of sight and sometimes out of mind. I had an ATM near my house that would return the card when the receipt printed but if I took too long reading the receipt or counting my cash....it'd suck the card back in and keep it. I'd have to visit the next day and ask for my card back. I don't miss that stupid design.
 
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