I don't actually think this will get past the Moderators but here goes............

Earlier today I was in need of some cash so went to one of the ATMs in the a certain multi-storried IT building on Sth Pattaya Rd.

I put my card in,hit the usual buttons for a withdrawal but the card was returned to me and a window opened on screen to the affect that my

withdrawal was cancelled and to contact my financial institution.

I tried again with the same result and so went home disappointed and broke.

On reaching my home I logged onto my financial institution's website and discovered to my horror that it was recorded that I had withdrawn the princely sum of $ 658.57 Australian....twice..... approx 41,000Baht !!

I immediately rang my financial institution to explain what had just happened and was informed that I would have to send them a signed letter describing my predicament and the result and they would cancel the transaction.

I,of course, wrote the letter and faxed in straight away in the hope that everything would be OK...................and it was.

One thing I did notice was that,although I used a machine in South Pattaya

the notification on-line says that I used an ATM on DongTan Beach ??.

Much later in the day I thought I would try to withdraw some cash again,this time using a different ATM in a different location

and blow me down,it worked,I got me cash.

Now I don't know what to think, I just know I'll never use any of the ATMs in that particular building ever again.

I used to work for a bank and this happens fairly often with ATM's all over the world. We had to contact the bank in the country it happened and confirm there was an overage and would usually refund the customer up front but take it back if the bank said there was no overage.

I have some very simple rules: I avoid ATMs whenever possible, preferring to withdraw cash at the counter with my bank book, and when I do have to use an ATM I will only use one that belongs to my bank and is situated at a branch of said bank.

Also I have an automatic service that sends an SMS to my phone in case of any movement on the account that is associated with the ATM card.

Also I never have more than a few thousand Baht in the account that is associated with my Thai ATM card, thus limiting any potential loss.

That dongtan beach sounds very suspicious.

Your card may have been skimmed.

That dongtan beach sounds very suspicious.

Your card may have been skimmed.

Well, Dongtan beach is Jomtien and certainly not S. Pattaya.

My card was skimmed and my PIN apparently recorded at a branch of Bangkok Bank. I was always careful to use the same bank branch machine.

A couple days later, my bank (in the USA) phones me and asks if I have recently been to Poland because $3,500 had been withdrawn.

I inspected the ATM and notice the bank security camera has a birds eye view of the keypad.

I suspect it could be an inside job by bank staff.

I had the same problem as the OP. Twice I tried to withdraw money from the same bank's ATMs. The transaction went through, as I discovered via my online account access, but no cash was dispensed. Both same-bank occurrences were in Bangkok in different months. I phoned the Thai bank's help number and they told me I have to contact my bank in Canada to begin the process of a refund. My Canadian bank settled the problem within hours. I will never use TMB machines again. This no-cash situation has never happened to me with any other Thai or Cambodian or Viet ATM (Viet Nam banking is another story for another time.)

I am surprised the OP's bank didn't irrevocably cancel his plastic. Sounds like a real lightweight bank security-wise when they say just fax us a letter saying what happened and everything is sorted out. If the OP has never used an ATM in Dongtan, the card has probably already been skimmed and in my experience, once there's been fraudulent activity on any plastic, the bank usually toasts it and sends you a new one.

The bank,actually a Credit Union is in Australia and they offered to cancel my card

but I declined or reasons that are not really relevant to this post.

Thanks to everyone for your interest and contributions.

The bank,actually a Credit Union is in Australia and they offered to cancel my card

but I declined or reasons that are not really relevant to this post.

Thanks to everyone for your interest and contributions.

That explains the rather 'up to you' approach from the bank. My CU in the US is similarly less bureaucratically challenged which can be real handy sometimes.

However, your card has been skimmed or is in some way compromised. I would recommend that you do sort out getting a replacement or make sure you have a backup plan with recourse to alternate funds should this card eventually get 'black holed' and leaving you more than slightly inconvenienced.

The bank,actually a Credit Union is in Australia and they offered to cancel my card

but I declined or reasons that are not really relevant to this post.

Thanks to everyone for your interest and contributions.

That explains the rather 'up to you' approach from the bank. My CU in the US is similarly less bureaucratically challenged which can be real handy sometimes.

My "bank" in Canada is also a credit union. They've been very good to me, at times going beyond their best practices and regulations to actually serve their customer, me. Been with them 30+ years. For example, they've sent me an ATM card replacement to my Thai address, something a Big Bank would never do because they can only send it to my domestic mailing address. Others things too.

The bank,actually a Credit Union is in Australia and they offered to cancel my card

but I declined or reasons that are not really relevant to this post.

Thanks to everyone for your interest and contributions.

That explains the rather 'up to you' approach from the bank. My CU in the US is similarly less bureaucratically challenged which can be real handy sometimes.

My "bank" in Canada is also a credit union. They've been very good to me, at times going beyond their best practices and regulations to actually serve their customer, me. Been with them 30+ years. For example, they've sent me an ATM card replacement to my Thai address, something a Big Bank would never do because they can only send it to my domestic mailing address. Others things too.

Preaching to the choir. My CU in Texas gave me a home loan.... for a house in Thailand!

But they also may need some guidance in the realms of international credit card fraud since their only ATM is in their own drive-thru!

For the OP's sake, he should get a new card.

My "bank" in Canada is also a credit union. They've been very good to me, at times going beyond their best practices and regulations to actually serve their customer, me. Been with them 30+ years. For example, they've sent me an ATM card replacement to my Thai address, something a Big Bank would never do because they can only send it to my domestic mailing address. Others things too.

Preaching to the choir. My CU in Texas gave me a home loan.... for a house in Thailand!

555. I don't think that would fly with my CU. But, good for you!

But they also may need some guidance in the realms of international credit card fraud since their only ATM is in their own drive-thru!

For the OP's sake, he should get a new card.

I agree 100%. If there's the slightest doubt a card has been compromised, then order a new one and shred the old one. As an interim measure, change the password.

My CU is part of a large co-operative of CUs, and has a small affiliation with a world bank, namely HSBC. I can use my CU card in HSBC ATMs for free in Canada. Because of that affiliation, I decided to open an HSBC account. That's exactly why HSBC does this affiliation thing.

Gentlemen ?....

thanks for all your input and advice.

I eventually did get a new card but ,probably because of the Xmas 'rush',it took about ten days to get here

and I was still waiting for the pin number,sent separately, a week after that.

So I called the CU office and when I explained my predicament,the lady said...'oh hang on a minute'

came back and said,'so very sorry, the letter containing the new pin number is actually still here on my associates desk' !!

Long story short...she told me the number over the phone along with multiple apologies and we could eat again !!!!

Precautions in case of emergency,have now been taken.

THanks again......