Phantom cash withdrawalls

[AussieRules]

Hi Guys

 

I'm in BKK at the moment and have used my Farangland ATM card. On 3 occassions I've tried to withdraw 10 000 baht and been told the cash could not be issued and to contact my issuing bank.

I forgot about it and wrote it off as a glitch for a fortnight and withdrew 5000 baht instead.

When I checked my statement the 10 000 baht had been debited from my account despite not receiving the cash. My bank have investigated and tell me they will re imburse me although the day spent on the phone getting through to the right department has been a headache I could do without.

 

Any suggestions how I can spot this and prevent it rather than having to waste time fixing it ?

[lopburi3]

Has this been from the same ATM or same bank ATM's by chance?  Avoid it so or if you can use another bank's card.  Appears to be a communications problem but I have not used a foreign ATM card for 20 years but when I did use it happened once or twice but will resolve itself without a few days even without action as supporting paperwork will not be be sent to your home bank and account balance will be adjusted back.  

[AussieRules]

I was down a Soi I don't usually visit running a small errand, I needed cash so used a machine there outside a 7/11, I thought the refusal might have been because 10 000 baht might have put me over my daily limit on that card due to currency fluctuations so tried a couple more and then one at an MRT station, when I tried to get 5k instead of 10k it worked fine.

 

I use that account as my "pocket" account so if it gets emptied by phantoms its a pain in the digestive tracts outlet valve if I'm left cashless

[sandgroper2]

38 minutes ago, AussieRules said:

I was down a Soi I don't usually visit running a small errand, I needed cash so used a machine there outside a 7/11, I thought the refusal might have been because 10 000 baht might have put me over my daily limit on that card due to currency fluctuations so tried a couple more and then one at an MRT station, when I tried to get 5k instead of 10k it worked fine.

 

I use that account as my "pocket" account so if it gets emptied by phantoms its a pain in the digestive tracts outlet valve if I'm left cashless

???

[Wigmore]

Ok....great to hear this...The exact same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago....3 times as well...spent several hours with my US bank...they finally reimbursed me..reluctantly it seemed.

THEN I heard a BBC report that some Russian hackers have been able to insert a virus into the worldwide atm system....

What happens is exactly as you stated...but the machine will later spit out the money after say exactly 2 hours and the Russian bag man will be waiting there to collect it...down to the minute . This is a very scary situation and the banking authorities are loath to advertise this for fear of losing their gigantic fees...

[topt]

17 minutes ago, Wigmore said:

Ok....great to hear this...The exact same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago....3 times as well...spent several hours with my US bank...they finally reimbursed me..reluctantly it seemed.

THEN I heard a BBC report that some Russian hackers have been able to insert a virus into the worldwide atm system....

What happens is exactly as you stated...but the machine will later spit out the money after say exactly 2 hours and the Russian bag man will be waiting there to collect it...down to the minute . This is a very scary situation and the banking authorities are loath to advertise this for fear of losing their gigantic fees...

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, AussieRules said:

I was down a Soi I don't usually visit running a small errand, I needed cash so used a machine there outside a 7/11, I thought the refusal might have been because 10 000 baht might have put me over my daily limit on that card due to currency fluctuations so tried a couple more and then one at an MRT station, when I tried to get 5k instead of 10k it worked fine.

 

I use that account as my "pocket" account so if it gets emptied by phantoms its a pain in the digestive tracts outlet valve if I'm left cashless

 

If 10,000 Baht could potentially have put you over the daily withdrawal limit then a 10,000 Baht and 5,000 Baht withdrawal would definitely put you above the limit if the 10,000 Baht had been previously processed so it's kind of strange that the 5,000 withdrawal worked considering the bank had processed the 10,000 withdrawal.

 

[lopburi3]

Believe 5k may not require contact with home bank if using Visa/Master Card systems?  I could be wrong on the exact amount but smaller amounts can be processed without home bank verification these days from my understanding.

[Americano555]

I Always try to use the ATM inside the bank. never us freelance ATM's......dangerous

[seancbk]

14 hours ago, Wigmore said:

Ok....great to hear this...The exact same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago....3 times as well...spent several hours with my US bank...they finally reimbursed me..reluctantly it seemed.

THEN I heard a BBC report that some Russian hackers have been able to insert a virus into the worldwide atm system....

What happens is exactly as you stated...but the machine will later spit out the money after say exactly 2 hours and the Russian bag man will be waiting there to collect it...down to the minute . This is a very scary situation and the banking authorities are loath to advertise this for fear of losing their gigantic fees...

 

So the big bad evil banks are loathe to advertise it yet you saw it reported on the BBC.

Links or it didn't happen.

 

[wump]

18 hours ago, seancbk said:

 

Links or it didn't happen.

 

 

+1

[AussieRules]

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38063142

 

not that it was me mentioned it in the first place

[Pib]

Quote

Any suggestions how I can spot this and prevent it rather than having to waste time fixing it ?

 

I've seen many posts on TV over the years where the ATM did not provide any money but it still got charged to your bank account, especially for foreign cards.  

 

Now although I said I've seen many posts I expect the the percentage of times this happens is rare.

 

It's usually just caused by a communications glitch between the ATM and your bank numerous times zones away...maybe a half a world away.   All you can do is immediately report the problem to your card-issuing bank and work the problem with them like  you did.