Banking For Americans In Thailand 101

Pib · July 7, 2013

Regarding where I mentioned I might email/call CapOne to whether I can "switch" from my current CapOne Visa card which has a cash reward of 1% on everything plus a 50% cash back annual bonus (effectively making it a 1.5% reward card over 12 months) "to" the CapOne Visa QuickSiliver card which has a cash reward of 1.5% out of the gate with no annual bonus, I did make contact with CapOne but went the "online chat" method with a CapOne CSR agent this evening--the CSR was very helpful. I was somewhat surprised the online chat method (each person typing back and forth at each other) worked out so well. The CSR understood why I wanted to switch since the QuickSilver gave 1.5% upfront where my current Visa card give 1% upfront with the 50% bonus coming annually.

Anyway after the CSR checked my account as to what I could possibly switch/upgrade to, the CSR said I could switch to a Venture card but that was a mileage/points type card. Earlier, I had also used the upgrade function on my online account as to what I could possibly upgrade to and it came back saying nothing was available. I told the CSR I have no idea what the reward program is on the Venture and also mentioned I only wanted a cash back reward program. The CSR then said unfortunately the Venture rewards program a mileage/points card I said no a definitely no thanks to switching...and the CSR understood why I didn't want it.

The agent said I could "apply" for a QuickSilver card. I told the CSR I don't want to appear to CapOne as just someone chasing "more" credit cards and if I got the QuickSilver card I would cancel the other card. And then I asked if there was any downslide with CapOne if I apply. The CSR just said a person can have multiple cards with CapOne and I didn't press beyond that.

We said our online goodbyes and closed the chat session. The CSR was very helpful indeed. But I pretty much expected the answer I got. I also was not surprised they offered to switch me to a "mileage/points" card because I believe card companies end up forking out less "money-wise" to fund a mileage/points rewards program in comparison to a cash back program....and they would prefer customers signup for mileage/points cards instead.

Anyway, I asked the question and got the answer. Since both my current CapOne Visa card and their new Capone Visa QuickSilver card are both 1.5% "over a 12 month period," it's just with the QuickSilver card you get the full 1.5% out of the gate where with my card I get 1% out of the gate and the remaining 0.5% annually, I'll probably wait a while or at least year from when I got my Visa card before thinking about applying for another one. Don' want to look like a credit card chaser on my credit reports or with CapOne.

Edited July 7, 2013 by Pib

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 7, 2013

Awhile back, I wanted to get a third party credit card that Cap One is the servicer for...because it was a brand name I have some connection with and at the time they were offering a $100 bonus for new accounts.

At the same time, Cap One had previously taken over a different credit card I had in my portfolio...one that they ultimately ended up acquiring from a different bank... So, at that point, I really wasn't looking for ANOTHER Cap One related CC... since I already was going to have quite a few.

At the time, as a result, I ended up asking the Cap One agent on the phone if they could simply close out one of my existing Cap One accounts and transfer the credit allocation over to the brand name card that Cap One was the servicer for... thus not increasing my number of cards and not changing my credit limit with them.

The answer came back, NO, they couldn't do that, because the third party card they are the servicer for apparently isn't integrated into their systems in the same way that Cap One's native cards are. So the agent advised me to go ahead and apply for the new third party card anyway... I did, and they approved me for a new card with a $5K additional limit.

So now it's really getting to the point where I have TOO MANY Cap One-related cards... But the one they took over from HSBC and the third party brand card both have foreign currency fees, so my use of those is limited. But my original Cap One 1% card with no FCF remains one of my favorites and most used cards.

JimGant · July 7, 2013

Pib, thanx for the info on the Quicksilver card. Apparently it's pretty new, and that's why the nerdwallet links I searched made no mention of it. However, a nerdwallet link of two weeks ago does have a nice write-up on Quicksilver:

http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2013/capital-quicksilver-replaces-cash-offers-100-signup-bonus/

The new Capital One Quicksilver is an updated, simpler version of the now-extinct Capital One Cash: like its predecessor, it offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases, but instead of paying 1% on all purchases with a 50% anniversary bonus on all points earned, the Quicksilver pays out the full 1.5% on an ongoing basis. It still comes with a great signup bonus – $100 – and has no annual or foreign transaction fee. It’s one of the best no annual fee + cash back offers out there, and we’re glad to have the solid 1.5% option back.

The Capital One Quicksilver is one of the best options out there for people who don’t fit the typical gas-and-groceries spending profiles, who prefer greenbacks over travel rewards, and who don’t like the thought of paying annual fees. It consistently ranks among the top Capital One cards, right next to the Capital One® Venture^(SM) Rewards Credit Card, a travel card that offers 2 No Hassle Miles per $1 but comes with a $59 annual fee (waived the first year). Like all Capital One cards, it has no foreign transaction fee, making it ideal for international travelers looking to dodge the 3% surcharge on money spent overseas.

Not sure how expat friendly the Quicklsilver card is...... The BofA Travel Rewards, as mentioned, has a friendly application page re expats. CapOne's application definitely requires a US address. I wonder about a US presence, i.e., if they found out your mailing address was a forwarding operation? What's your take on this? (Which begs the question -- do folks who live in RVs qualify for this card?)

I totally agree about cash over rewards -- and, as mentioned, the BofA card does have a cash option. Believe the threshold is $2500, which is no big deal -- my USAA card requires $20K to get the full 1% cashback. Hasn't been a problem, as it's the only credit card I use -- and the "time value of money" at today's interest rates is not a factor. But, yeah, when I get a new 1.5% card, I'll be leaving some money on the table when the USAA card goes in the drawer.

But, I definitely need to get off my butt and get one of these cards. I use my credit card whenever I can, but have just figured the USAA Visa's 1% cashback neutralizes the 1% foreign transaction fee -- and I come out exactly as with a Schwab ATM pull, i.e., slightly north of the buying TT rate. However, this laziness, at an addition rate of 1.5% , is costing me at least $400 annually -- $500 with the forgone signing bonus. Hmmmmm.

chubby · July 7, 2013

you might want to try signing up for a VPN, like strongvpn.com

That was my recollection too re the problem with Cap One and AEON ATMs....

I never had a Cap One VISA or MC logo debit card. But I did have a Cap One ATM card (NO VISA or MC logo) associated with a savings account that stopped working with AEON once Cap One made their card network change to Cirrus.

So, AFAIK, any U.S. bank debit card that has a VISA or MC logo on the front ought to work perfectly fine with AEON ATMs. Then it's just a matter of finding a preferrably VISA logo debit card from an institution that a) doesn't charge its own foreign ATM withdrawal fee and 2] doesn't charge a foreign currency fee. And there are relatively lots of those.

LSM, I think you're over-stating the extent of the problem with card usability with AEON ATMs. These days, VISA and MC logo debit cards are far more common and prevalent that non-logo ATM only cards like the Cap One one. And maybe I'm getting old here, but I don't recall hearing of folks having problems using VISA logo debit cards at AEON ATMs...

It will be a good day if you can tell me the specific names of the institutions that do not charge 1 & 2 in your statement "then it's just a matter of finding a preferrably VISA logo debit card from an institution that a) doesn't charge its own foreign ATM withdrawal fee and 2] doesn't charge a foreign currency fee. And there are relatively lots of those." { I added the underline and the bold part}

Tried opening account at Charles Schwab but they did not because their computers could tell I was in Thailand even with me explaining to them that my residence is in the USA and gave them that address.

USAA, State Farm, Fidelity all charge a currency conversion fee based on their sites and my emails and calls to them.

ThaiBob · July 8, 2013

If you have a Google Voice number set up with a U.S.-based account, you may be able to receive U.S. sent SMS messages to that number, and then receive them here as Google emails......

I use my Google voice number as my primary contact number for all business I need to conduct in USA. I am not sure I can get SMS as I have never received one. I get all my voice mail messages and Gmail transcriptions using Google voice.

Pib · July 8, 2013

If you have a Google Voice number set up with a U.S.-based account, you may be able to receive U.S. sent SMS messages to that number, and then receive them here as Google emails......

I use my Google voice number as my primary contact number for all business I need to conduct in USA. I am not sure I can get SMS as I have never received one. I get all my voice mail messages and Gmail transcriptions using Google voice.

John,

Last night I did a test with my Aunt in Florida. I asked her to send me a couple of SMS's to my GoogleVoice number and they came through fine to my Gmail email address. The "From" address uses her AT&T network cell number.

At the bottom a tag line is included mentioning "Sent Using SMS-to-email..." Below is a quote/cut and paste of the tag line. And as mentioned in the tag line you can even respond to the SMS via your email which I did as another test. Cool. I had been putting off testing the SMS feature of GoogleVoice because so far I haven't had the need to receive an One-Time-Password from any of my U.S. accounts.

Sent using SMS-to-email. Reply to this email to text the sender back and save on SMS fees.

https://www.google.com/voice/

I still use my NetTalk phone number on my financial accounts; not to infer a NetTalk number is something less than a real phone number as it as real as any U.S. landline or cell phone number. My NetTalkDuo VOIP device a $2.50/month for unlimited inbound and outbound calls has worked just fine for the going on two years I've had it. Calls between Bangkok and the U.S. sound like the other person is just across the soi.

Note: for those listening in on this post and not familiar with NetTalk they are a company that produces MagicJack-type devices since most people seem to have heard about MagicJack...that is, a device you can plug into your computer "or just between your router and cordless phone just like a Vontage-type adapter." Or they even have Wifi versions nowdays. The days of those devices only working when plugged in a USB port on your computer are long gone. I use the NetTalkDuo that plugs between your router and cordless phone just like a Vonage-type adapter. Thought I would menton NetTalk since having a U.S. phone number while in Thailand can make resolving any U.S. banking/card problems a lot easier by just being able to call up the bank or company...and a bank/company can just call you back easier since they are just calling back to a U.S. phone number that happens to ring in Thailand (and they won't even know they are ringing up Thailand unless you tell them or have a Thailand address on file). Plus, its dirt cheap at $2.50/month. Sure, there are ways to calls people in the U.S. for nothing like using certain Apps but those Apps don't work so well sometimes or the person has to be using the same App. And there is even Apps that interface that acts as an interface with GoogleVoice, like the GrooVeIP App which I use sometimes. Plus, like I said, the NetTalk device allows your home cordless phone hooked to your internet router to basically turn that cordless phone into a U.S. landline....want to call, pick up the cordless phone and dial a number; someone in the U.S. wants to call you, they just dial your number, you cordless phone rings and you, the wife, GB, dog, or cat can just answer the phone. Works good....cheap...and I was able to get a phone number that is a local number for many of my family/friends in a certain area of the U.S....that means if they use their landline to call me it's not a long distance call for them. Cool...sweet. John, I know I preaching to the choir on this since you have a MagicJack type device, use GoogleVoice, and GrooVeIP...and probably more into all this VOIP stuff than me.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Pib

Pib · July 8, 2013

Pib, thanx for the info on the Quicksilver card. Apparently it's pretty new, and that's why the nerdwallet links I searched made no mention of it. However, a nerdwallet link of two weeks ago does have a nice write-up on Quicksilver:

http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2013/capital-quicksilver-replaces-cash-offers-100-signup-bonus/

The new Capital One Quicksilver is an updated, simpler version of the now-extinct Capital One Cash: like its predecessor, it offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases, but instead of paying 1% on all purchases with a 50% anniversary bonus on all points earned, the Quicksilver pays out the full 1.5% on an ongoing basis. It still comes with a great signup bonus – $100 – and has no annual or foreign transaction fee. It’s one of the best no annual fee + cash back offers out there, and we’re glad to have the solid 1.5% option back.

The Capital One Quicksilver is one of the best options out there for people who don’t fit the typical gas-and-groceries spending profiles, who prefer greenbacks over travel rewards, and who don’t like the thought of paying annual fees. It consistently ranks among the top Capital One cards, right next to the Capital One® Venture^(SM) Rewards Credit Card, a travel card that offers 2 No Hassle Miles per $1 but comes with a $59 annual fee (waived the first year). Like all Capital One cards, it has no foreign transaction fee, making it ideal for international travelers looking to dodge the 3% surcharge on money spent overseas.

Not sure how expat friendly the Quicklsilver card is...... The BofA Travel Rewards, as mentioned, has a friendly application page re expats. CapOne's application definitely requires a US address. I wonder about a US presence, i.e., if they found out your mailing address was a forwarding operation? What's your take on this? (Which begs the question -- do folks who live in RVs qualify for this card?)

I totally agree about cash over rewards -- and, as mentioned, the BofA card does have a cash option. Believe the threshold is $2500, which is no big deal -- my USAA card requires $20K to get the full 1% cashback. Hasn't been a problem, as it's the only credit card I use -- and the "time value of money" at today's interest rates is not a factor. But, yeah, when I get a new 1.5% card, I'll be leaving some money on the table when the USAA card goes in the drawer.

But, I definitely need to get off my butt and get one of these cards. I use my credit card whenever I can, but have just figured the USAA Visa's 1% cashback neutralizes the 1% foreign transaction fee -- and I come out exactly as with a Schwab ATM pull, i.e., slightly north of the buying TT rate. However, this laziness, at an addition rate of 1.5% , is costing me at least $400 annually -- $500 with the forgone signing bonus. Hmmmmm.

Yea, that first CapOne Visa QuickSilver quote above is basically also summarizing my current CapOne Visa card that has been replaced by the Visa CapOne QuickSilver card...and I have no doubt the QuickSilver card will be replaced within a year with another promotion...and those folks with a QuickSilver card may feel some some buyer's dissatisfaction unless the new card has less benefits. But all a person can really do is try to apply for the best card promotion available at the time as who knows what the future will bring---better or worst.

And I couldn't agree more with your last paragraph in how a cash back rewards program can add up to serious cash over a year when a person really sets down and looks at what he could pay for in day-to-day living expenses by using such a card like every time you go to Big C, Lotus, HomePro, pretty much any grocery store (except Makro), gas station fuel buys for your vehicle, restaurants, medical, dental (I even pay for visits to the dog Vet via credit card), plane tickets, rental cards, online buys....my goodness the list just goes on and on. And of course they can serve as a source of emergency funding for unexpected & some high cost doctor/hospital bills and even cash advances if a person really needs money bad and is willing to pay the high cash advance interest--almost like a loan shark loan. But hey, when you need money, you need money.

Many times I like to think of the cash back as on the average as being enough to pay for my monthly water bill/landline phone bill/smartphone bill/just any lower cost reoccurring bill. It can kinda make you feel like you are getting those monthly services free in a round about way. Or, like instead of paying 7% VAT on everything I'm paying only 5% for those 2% cash back buys, etc. Yes Sir, credit card cash back programs can add up to some real cash back which can be easily used to pay for other things. But with cards that provide "mileage/points" type reward programs, I guess they are OK if you want to cash in the mileage/points for a discount on some overpriced product you don't really need or get super lucky in being able to use them towards some travel reward...maybe 25% off weekend stays at Howard Johnsons Motels on Route 66 or with a zillion mileage points a round trip ticket to Syria over the Christmas holidays (travel insurance recommended).

JimGant · July 8, 2013

Well, that was pretty much a no brainer. I applied on-line for the Quicksilver Visa card, watched the cogwheel spin for 15 seconds, and insto presto -- "Your card will arrive in 7-10 days."

Now, I am currently in the US, so no IP giveaway of a foreign location. I know this throws Schwab off -- not sure if CapOne cares where you apply from (address and phone number on application were US).

Interesting that, for "average" credit folks, there's a QuicksilverOne card, that does have an annual fee -- plus, it's a MasterCard, not a Visa. I wonder why a MC for the less credit worthy folks.........(?).

Here's an interesting link on Quicksilver and reward cards:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/capital-ones-quicksilver-future-cash-120045870.html

Pib · July 8, 2013

Yeap, when I applied online for my CapOne Visa card about 6 months ago the wheel spun for about 15 seconds while it was during the credit check (those are a tense 15 seconds aren't they) and baaaammmmm!---it then reflected approved with a VERY generous line of credit, said the card should arrive in around 10 days (and it did) to my APO address, and it has worked just fine in Thailand. Heck I even requested a particular image on the card during the application process vs getting the plain jane image on the card. During the activation call I also asked for a supplemental card for the Thai wife (also U.S. citizen) and that card showed up in about 10 days. Sweet.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Pib

JimGant · July 8, 2013

Pib,

I wonder if a Thai address, vice an APO, would have also worked.......?

Also, did you advise CapOne that you 'd be using the card primarily in Thailand? If so, is this permanently in your file -- or do you have to remind them again periodically (some cards have travel windows, that when they expire require a rewicker job).

Yeah, I wanted a card for the wife, but there wasn't a spot on the application to request. Did a "chat" with CapOne, and they advised to request after the card arrives and thus when the on-line account becomes fully operational. Did you verbally request the wife card -- or could you fat finger apply?

Pib · July 8, 2013

Pib,

I wonder if a Thai address, vice an APO, would have also worked.......?

Also, did you advise CapOne that you 'd be using the card primarily in Thailand? If so, is this permanently in your file -- or do you have to remind them again periodically (some cards have travel windows, that when they expire require a rewicker job).

Yeah, I wanted a card for the wife, but there wasn't a spot on the application to request. Did a "chat" with CapOne, and they advised to request after the card arrives and thus when the on-line account becomes fully operational. Did you verbally request the wife card -- or could you fat finger apply?

Can't say about the Thai address vice an APO address as I always apply with my APO address. Nope, I didn't advise the card would be used primarily in Thailand...they didn't ask and I have never told them...my CapOne cards have worked continuously....none of that you got to call them every 90 days like I hear some folks say they have to.

Apparently when you apply for credit cards now days its based on a single person versus a joint account; kinda different from applying for a bank account where you can do either a single person or joint account application. Once you activate the card you can ask for a card for the wife...sometimes referred to as a supplemental card and it will carry the same credit number number as your card. I used the phone method but I'm pretty sure I remember seeing where you can do it online also, but you will need to provide the wife's social security number and other very basic info on her.

Now when I got my American Express cards (which I still have and use periodically for some small bucks online buys just to show some activity) for the wife and I many years ago that came as two cards with completely separate credit card numbers but we got these cards so long ago I can't remember if we were able to apply as a joint account or I just asked for a card for the wife and it was issued with a different number. The wife's card having a different number comes in handy when both of you want to use the credit card as a source of payment like on PayPal account. If you first add the card as a source of payment on your PayPal account and let's say the wife has PayPal account also, then if her card number is identical to yours it will reject for her when she tries to add it to her PayPal account even though the card has only her name on it....I know, the wife and I have tried this a couple of times when various supplemental cards arrived for the wife. Once a card number is added to anyone's PayPal account it can't be used/duplicated on someone else's PayPal account.

Edited July 8, 2013 by Pib

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 8, 2013

Jim, with my Cap One Rewards Visa card, I've had transactions blocked before because Cap One's security noticed a Thailand based transaction request on my U.S. card, and thought something was amiss.

Thus I've had a number of discussions over the phone with their card security/fraud staff on that subject. As best as I recall, they claim their system only allows you to enter a travel alert for up to a two or three month ahead period of time. You used to have to call them, but now can enter travel alerts online via the C1 website. I've asked, and they've told me, even making requests over the phone, that it does NOT allow them to enter an ongoing travel alert, say, for someone continually traveling for business, etc etc...

I have told them I travel a lot, and asked them to notate that in my card account info, which they may have done. I haven't had any transaction denials with the card lately, so I'm not sure if I'm just being lucky, or somehow their system has finally recognized my travel patterns.

But just as a precaution, I still never carry that card as the only card in my wallet, just in case.

zeekgarcia · July 9, 2013

This is from Fidelity https://www.fidelity.com/cash-management/fidelity-cash-management-account/overview "Please note, there is a foreign transaction fee of one percent that is not waived, which will be included in the amount charged to your account."

From captial one 360 site Foreign Transaction. If you use your Card for a foreign transaction (any transaction made in a foreign currency or that MasterCard® classifies as a cross-border transaction), we won't charge you anything. However, MasterCard may apply a charge for converting the purchase to U.S. Dollars. << We know there is no may about it because MasterCard does charge the fee.

This is from an email I received from [email protected] at State Farm Bank on May 16, 2013 At this time, State Farm Bank® is not refunding the Visa currency conversion fee. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

So I am still looking for a US bank or credit union that does not charge any currency conversion fees, besides Schwab.

And especially if there is a bank or credit union that also refunds atm fees.

Any suggestions other than the banks that have been specifically listed in this post?

Pib · July 9, 2013

St Farm don't charge me any foreign transaction fee...I just have a standard checking account with debit card. I always get the full/0% bank fee Visa exchange rate--identical to my Schwab debit card. On some days when I decide to use both cards to pull a total of Bt60,000 (Bt30K/$1000 each card) the charges that hit my Schwab and St Farm accounts are identical to the penny and match the Visa exchange rate to the 2d or 3d digit for a 0% bank fee card...no other separate fee hits either account. Or said another way, both Schwab and St Farm absorb the Visa 1% conversion fee--or at least they do for my accounts. I think you will be hard pressed to find anything on the St Farm website that supports what the CSR said.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Pib

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 9, 2013

Zeek, you asked people here for advice...and you've gotten advice, but don't seem to want to listen.

People here who understand the issues have the State Farm and Fidelity Cards, and have told you they pay no fees.

The Cap One 360 card doesn't have any fee of its own, and clearly has nothing more than a 1% MC network fee at most. It may have a smaller fee or no fee at all.

The Charles Schwab card has no fee and reimburses ATM fees worldwide.

The Service Credit Union reimburses the VISA ISA fee at month's end for cardholders who have direct deposit with that CU, although membership requires some past or current military connection in your family.

Stanford Federal Credit Union in CA is another potential no-fee option, and there are others in the bankcard lists that have been linked above in this thread.

You sent me a PM, and I offered to assist you further if you PM me with what state is your U.S. residence, since a lot of the ATM fee reimbursed offers come from local banks and credit unions with limited service areas. So far, no response from you.

Lastly, you need to understand that international ATM fees and international ATM fee reimbursement isn't a BIG marketing issues for most U.S. financial institutions. So even those that don't charge these kinds of fees often don't make a big deal of publicizing that fact. So it often takes some persistance, and recognition that what financial institutions say on their websites regarding fees sometimes is different than what they do in real life.

zeekgarcia · July 9, 2013

I have capital one checking accounts but I had them around 2-3 years before they bought ING and everything was switched over to 360. My atm card is mastercard and I tried it about 2 different times in Aeons atms and even one time a csr at Aeon came out and tried to help me and even called their head office to see what the problem was and eventually said that their atms could not read the card.

I have just finished rereading all 15 pages of the post again and taken notes so I will followup on all the leads that everyone has talked about and see how it goes. I have fidelity accounts already and hopefully they still work because I have never used them and I will see if I get charged the currency conversion fee and will see how they refund atm fees. I will post the details later and hopefully you guys can help me see if they charged the ccf or not.

thanks for all the info and help!

Pib · July 9, 2013

If your Cap One card is an ATM "only" card vs being a debit card it may not work in an AEON ATM. Around 2 years ago Cap One switched their ATM only cards to only work on the CIRRUS network for cash withdrawals. And unless something has changed AEON ATM do not support the CIRRUS network. Their older machines do not show the CIRRUS logo but I did use one of their brand new machines last week that did show the CIRRUS logo.

And maybe Cap One has blocked your foreign withdrawals because your residence with them reflects only a U.S. address and you didn't notify them of your travel plans. Cap One seems to be big about the need to call them with your foreign travel plans so they can code your account that you will be traveling to country XYZ and therefore could be withdrawing money. It's a fraudulent transaction protection thing. Give them a call to check... tell them you are on an extended trip to Thailand if they have blocked withdrawals simply because it was made in Thailand.

Sent from my tablet

zeekgarcia · July 9, 2013

If your Cap One card is an ATM "only" card vs being a debit card it may not work in an AEON ATM. Around 2 years ago Cap One switched their ATM only cards to only work on the CIRRUS network for cash withdrawals. And unless something has changed AEON ATM do not support the CIRRUS network. Their older machines do not show the CIRRUS logo but I did use one of their brand new machines last week that did show the CIRRUS logo.

And maybe Cap One has blocked your foreign withdrawals because your residence with them reflects only a U.S. address and you didn't notify them of your travel plans. Cap One seems to be big about the need to call them with your foreign travel plans so they can code your account that you will be traveling to country XYZ and therefore could be withdrawing money. It's a fraudulent transaction protection thing. Give them a call to check... tell them you are on an extended trip to Thailand if they have blocked withdrawals simply because it was made in Thailand.

Sent from my tablet

I can use my cap one mastercard atm debit cards at any other thai bank atm, just not at aeon.

Edited July 9, 2013 by zeekgarcia

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 9, 2013

Zeek...that's very helpful info... if I understand correctly that you're talking about having a Cap One 360 MC-logo debit card.

Cap One, as Pib mentions, changed their bank card network a while back, and that caused problems that led to their regular ATM cards (without any VISA or MC logo) no longer working in AEON ATMs, whereas they had worked before.

Separate from that, it's been a bit unclear until now whether Cap One 360 MC-logo debit cards also suffered from the same problem with AEON ATMs... You appear to be saying they do, which is unfortunate.

Because of the recency of ING's turnover to Cap One 360, we haven't had a lot of member posts with clear results on the subject of Cap One 360 debit cards.

All of this would be extra bad news because as far as I can see, the Cap One 360 checking accounts also no longer offer ATM fee rebates/refunds for fees charged by other ATM operators other than Cap One. So you can use your Cap One MC at other Thai banks' ATMs, but will get hit with their local 180 baht withdrawal fee for foreign MC logo cards.... Not good.

Edited July 9, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 9, 2013

I have fidelity accounts already and hopefully they still work because I have never used them and I will see if I get charged the currency conversion fee and will see how they refund atm fees. I will post the details later and hopefully you guys can help me see if they charged the ccf or not.

To check on whether your U.S. financial institution is charging you a FCF on VISA debit card transactions here, follow the instructions and use the web links posted earlier here in post #360.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/483106-banking-for-americans-in-thailand-101/?p=6581680

Pib · July 10, 2013

If your Cap One card is an ATM "only" card vs being a debit card it may not work in an AEON ATM. Around 2 years ago Cap One switched their ATM only cards to only work on the CIRRUS network for cash withdrawals. And unless something has changed AEON ATM do not support the CIRRUS network. Their older machines do not show the CIRRUS logo but I did use one of their brand new machines last week that did show the CIRRUS logo.

And maybe Cap One has blocked your foreign withdrawals because your residence with them reflects only a U.S. address and you didn't notify them of your travel plans. Cap One seems to be big about the need to call them with your foreign travel plans so they can code your account that you will be traveling to country XYZ and therefore could be withdrawing money. It's a fraudulent transaction protection thing. Give them a call to check... tell them you are on an extended trip to Thailand if they have blocked withdrawals simply because it was made in Thailand.

Sent from my tablet

I can use my cap one mastercard atm debit cards at any other thai bank atm, just not at aeon.

Yea, I expect it's because the card "only" uses the CIRRUS network for cash withdrawals regardless of having a MC logo or not. Thai bank ATMs support CIRRUS. The person and her CapOne debit card story at this Link seem pretty creditable and is very recent.

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 10, 2013

Pib, thanks for posting that blog link re Capital One...

Obviously, the writer raises some valid customer service points there, some of which many of us probably can recognize about Cap One.

But as to the issue of card acceptance in foreign ATMs, I can't get any indication from that article of whether she was using a regular OLD Capital One debit card or one of the new variety Cap One 360 cards. I don't know that it would make any difference from a network compatibility issue, but you never know...

And since she talked about acquiring her Cap One debit card a year ahead of her trip, and her blog post is dated last month, then we probably can safely assume that she acquired her card prior to the arrival of Cap One 360. So I wouldn't want to extend her experience to making too many assumptions here.

Also, here locally, aren't at least some of the new style AEON ATMs displaying a CIRRUS logo on their panels? I thought we've heard that here... Yet still, some folks are saying their Cap One MC logo debit cards won't work with our AEON ATMs.

On this subject, I'm more inclined to be guided by the experiences that Cap One 360 cardholders report here in Thailand and with AEON in particular -- as opposed to what someone in Eastern Europe may experience with local banks there.

Pib · July 10, 2013

Also, here locally, aren't at least some of the new style AEON ATMs displaying a CIRRUS logo on their panels? I thought we've heard that here... Yet still, some folks are saying their Cap One MC logo debit cards won't work with our AEON ATMs.

On this subject, I'm more inclined to be guided by the experiences that Cap One 360 cardholders report here in Thailand and with AEON in particular -- as opposed to what someone in Eastern Europe may experience with local banks there.

On the older AEON ATMs I don't remember ever seeing the CIRRUS network label. But on a new AEON ATM I used a couple weeks ago it did have the CIRRUS label along with all the other typical network logos (i.e., Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, etc). But maybe all those network labels on the front of the ATM was some kind of standard labeling/paint job and the ATM really didn't support CIRRUS.

Ditto on reports from folks using their card in Thailand ATMs.

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 10, 2013

Being a frequent documenter of things by photo, I happen to have saved quite a number of photos of AEON ATMs from different locations and at different times on my PC at home...

Tonight, I reviewed all of those I've saved. A couple of them have ATM panels that show only six card network logos...NOT including CIRRUS.

However, I also found photos of the AEON ATMs at the Central Silom Complex, which was closed and then newly renovated in the past year, including an entirely new AEON office, and the year-old Terminal 21 mall that both have a panel with SEVEN card network logos, INCLUDING CIRRUS.

Here's the photo of the current AEON ATMs at Central Silom Complex up on the banking level.

Here's the photo of the current AEON ATMs at Terminal 21 in the basement.

I also have a photo of the new AEON ATMs at Central Rama 9 that MAY also show the CIRRUS logo, but the shot is from a distance and I can't quite confirm that.

Maybe a Cap One MC debit cardholder will get a chance to try their card at one of those locations sometime, or at another AEON ATM that also shows the blue CIRRUS logo.

The other AEON ATM photos I have that DON'T show any Cirrus logo, which both are older machines, include:

--QSNCC

--Big C Rajadamri

TallGuyJohninBKK · July 10, 2013