ALERT,ALERT,ALERT !

[Traxster]

Beware the ATMs on Soi WatBoon between Jomtien 2nd Rd and Sukhumvit Rd.

They are compromised....

[stoneyboy]

Beware the ATMs on Soi WatBoon between Jomtien 2nd Rd and Sukhumvit Rd.

They are compromised....

In what way ?

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

What do you mean? How do you know? And all the other questions.

[Michaelaway]

Who, what, when, where, how...?

[Rimmer]

Can you be more specific please, thank you

[Donnie Brasco]

Relax guys.

This red alert here is just one more post from another punter who's run out of bun-money in Patts ;-)

"Sometimes, 'fuggedabowdit' just means fuggedabowdit. . . . "

[Jack Mountain]

They are all compromised, everytime when i withdraw money i get an SMS that my bankbalance is lower. Why's that?

[cooked]

oh is that all, I thought the price of beer was going up.

[jimmybkk]

To the OP: Please take a look at the Forum Rules. You should always begin a post like this with "Pssst...

Beware the ATMs on Soi WatBoon between Jomtien 2nd Rd and Sukhumvit Rd.
They are compromised....

[KhunBENQ]

Should be crystal clear what the poster wants to say (hopefully)?

The ATMs have been manipulated with skimming devices and should not be used.

[balo]

I use the atms outside 7 eleven in soi watboon weekly, never had a problem and I always cover with my hand before entering the code.

In soi watboon we have about 6 atms between 2nd rd and sukhumvit so if the OP can't be more specific I think this is just another troll post.

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[craigt3365]

I've seen numerous reports on manipulated ATMs in that area. My friend used one there last year and had 80k taken out of his account in Russia before he could cancel his card.

It's a big problem all across Thailand now. Only use ATMs inside banks if you want to be 100% safe....well....as close to 100% as you can! LOL

[raro]

I presume the op has also informed the local authorities along with the bank operating the atm?

Other than that, thanks for the heads up!

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[KhunBENQ]

I use the atms outside 7 eleven in soi watboon weekly, never had a problem and I always cover with my hand before entering the code.

Does not necessarily help.

There are also skimming attachments for keyboards.

I avoid ATMs out in the wild whenever possible.

I prefer to use ATMs in bank branches / microbranches within guarded shopping centers etc.

Edited June 8, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[Suradit69]

They are all compromised, everytime when i withdraw money i get an SMS that my bankbalance is lower. Why's that?

Yes as depressing as the content of the SMSs may be, they do give a degree of comfort knowing the balance is no worse than you expected it to be.

I avoid ATMs out in the wild whenever possible.

I prefer to use ATMs in bank branches / microbranches within guarded shopping centers etc.

Yes, I agree. At least those are less likely to have been fiddled with.

[srchino]

Only loosely related but have you folks noticed that there is no reliable way to know the exchange rate from foreign currency to THB from an ATM before you make a withdrawal?

Drives me nuts. I've asked my banks and they keep blowing smoke, telling me to check Visa's site but that is always off too when I do the math.

[Carib]

Try this site:

http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net/default.aspx

[wineman]

They are all compromised, everytime when i withdraw money i get an SMS that my bankbalance is lower. Why's that?

I think this is a wind-up, but I'll comment anyway. Fairly quickly I get a text from my bank every time I withdraw money from an ATM or use my credit card.

[srchino]

Try this site:

http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net/default.aspx

Thanks for this, but this too is inaccurate. I just tested it. Withdrew 1000bht from a Bangkok Bank ATM, checked my balance and it costed 35.46. 1,150 baht (including 150 fee) / 35.46 = 32.43. The site you gave me a link to states that the rate from Bangkok Bank is 32.31. Today the discrepancy happens to be in my favor but most of the time it is not. I wish there were an accurate and reliable way to know what exchange rate you'll get from ATM machines before making the withdrawal, as opposed to calculating it after.

[ThaiBob]

Try this site:

http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net/default.aspx

Thanks for this, but this too is inaccurate. I just tested it. Withdrew 1000bht from a Bangkok Bank ATM, checked my balance and it costed 35.46. 1,150 baht (including 150 fee) / 35.46 = 32.43. The site you gave me a link to states that the rate from Bangkok Bank is 32.31. Today the discrepancy happens to be in my favor but most of the time it is not. I wish there were an accurate and reliable way to know what exchange rate you'll get from ATM machines before making the withdrawal, as opposed to calculating it after.

Go to the TV Banking forum for a better understanding of ATM rates. The ATM rate depends on your network (e.g., VISA PLUS) and not the bank ATM you are using. In calculating an "effective" exchange rate their fees at both ends of the transaction that must be considered. My home bank charges 0% for foreign transactions but charges a .12% ISA fee. I use this link,

http://usa.visa.com/personal/card-benefits/travel/exchange-rate-calculator.jsp

[srchino]

Yes, this is the same page my bank gave me to calculate the rate, which never actually matches what the calculator yields.

[srchino]

Since I cannot find any way to know the rate beforehand I've resorted to this method: I just withdraw 1000bht on most days and calculate the rate on my own. If it's favorable then I withdraw more. It costs 150-180bht per withdrawal, but my bank reimburses me for those fees. Seems like there should be a better way and I guess it's the Thai banks and their ATM fees that win in this method.

[JetsetBkk]

They are all compromised, everytime when i withdraw money i get an SMS that my bankbalance is lower. Why's that?

I think this is a wind-up, but I'll comment anyway. Fairly quickly I get a text from my bank every time I withdraw money from an ATM or use my credit card.

[ThaiBob]

Yes, this is the same page my bank gave me to calculate the rate, which never actually matches what the calculator yields.

Mine matched, you must have a complete understanding of all fees involved in the transaction.

Your trial withdrawals may be costing you money in trying to time your withdrawals for best rate, and any positive benefits may be offset with associated transaction fees.

[srchino]

Hi Bob, can you help a brother out then? I used that visa calculator with a 0 fee (my bank doesn't charge a fee for foreign withdrawals) and it spit out 32.56 today. My withdrawal today gave me a rate of 32.43.

[ThaiBob]

Hi Bob, can you help a brother out then? I used that visa calculator with a 0 fee (my bank doesn't charge a fee for foreign withdrawals) and it spit out 32.56 today. My withdrawal today gave me a rate of 32.43.

Very well could be an ISA fee, they are sometimes buried deep in the bank disclosures, just guessing. Maybe a call to your bank or take your question over to the Banking forum. For more knowledgeable posters there.

[srchino]

I have had multiple lengthy conversations with two of my banks about this. Neither of them can give me a way to calculate the rate ahead of time. Didn't you mention that you have a way?

Basically I just have been withdrawing those small amounts and when the effective rate is good then I make large withdrawals. That's the best I've been able to come up with. Would love it if someone had an answer.

[ThaiBob]

There is also the time zone factor. If you are are in Europe there is a different calculator than the one I provided. My bank is in America and the VISA ATM rate changes at 0001 EST. If you follow the published fx rates and know there is going to be rate swing, you can wait before or after 11:00 am (0001 EST) before making your withdrawal if it is to your advantage. A big one day swing might be.2 baht which is only 200 baht, if you withdraw 10,000. You have to decide if it is that important to you.

[srchino]

I am aware of the 11am rate swing and do time things around that. My large withdrawals are large enough that the discrepancies in sum add up to a substantial amount, that's why it's worth the hassle to me to do the small withdrawals often when the rate is in a favorable range (if it's not close to a recent high I don't bother). Anyway, thanks for your help and I will surf around the forum and see if there are any other threads relating to this. So far I've had the feeling that I'm the only one who wants to know the exact rate beforehand.

[slipperylobster]

What dahell is he talking about?