Citi debit card (US) not working in any ATM

[Vexzy]

I've been trying to withdraw money from any ATM using my Citi debit card (from the US, not Thailand), but it doesn't seem to work. It has the Mastercard logo on it, and so does the ATM. What am I doing wrong? Anyone else have experience with this? This is my first time withdrawing money in Thailand.

[retiredusn]

Had the same problem , called the bank after trying the card several places and was told that nothing was wrong. Ended up having a new card sent and the problem was solved. After all was said and done I never wanted too be broke again so started a monthly transfer from US to Thailand bank. Never another worry.

[Vexzy]

Hmm, I don't want to have to send a new card here as I'm only a tourist. I just read online how simple and easy ATM machines were here so I just wanted to know what I'm doing wrong. Is it possible I'm trying to withdraw too much? I tried to withdraw 20,000 baht. Should I go to a bank for that much?

[Los Luver]

17 minutes ago, Vexzy said:

Hmm, I don't want to have to send a new card here as I'm only a tourist. I just read online how simple and easy ATM machines were here so I just wanted to know what I'm doing wrong. Is it possible I'm trying to withdraw too much? I tried to withdraw 20,000 baht. Should I go to a bank for that much?

Obs!! I'm not American....But maybe useful for someone !!

The amount you can withdraw depends on the deals you got with your bank, or the rights you have. I do withdraw 40K each time I want....

 

About the use of the card, once I experienced the same in Russia. I couldn't withdraw. I just couldn't. I got "transaction was denied" message every time i tried.. I called my bank and they informed me that the card use was limited to West Europe only and I could change that on the netbank. I did and then it was fine. Now I know I can change those settings whenever I want to.....

Edited May 14, 2017 by Los Luver

[Pib]

How much does your card issuing bank allow per day/transaction.   Let's say it's only $500 which equates approx Bt17250 at the current exchange rate....this means the transaction would fail each time.

 

But I expect the simple and easy answer is your card is blocked.   Many banks/credit unions require you to notify them of your travel itinerary when using the card outside the home country/U.S.   And Southeast Asia countries are routinely on many bank's block list unless you notify your bank in advance of travel.

 

Contact your card issuing bank.

[Vexzy]

I contacted my bank several weeks before I came here and told them that I was traveling. I just spoke with them on the phone and my limit is $1000 a day. It seems to just not be working and I don't know why. If I can't use the ATM, can I withdraw cash at a bank using only my card? Otherwise, I'm not sure how to get more money while I'm here. Maybe a wire? But I don't have a bank account

[1FinickyOne]

Call your bank in your home country again... maybe they didn't make the appropriate adjustment for your travel. A lazy employee? They will at least tell you why it is not working and should be able to settle the problem. 

 

I hope you have come with some back-up plan. Always good to have 2 cards and travel checks for emergency or solid cash...

 

and yes, most ATMS will give you 20,000 baht max - I have had rare occasions where the lines are down and I was denied a transaction but it worked at another machine or the next day... 

 

good luck!!

 

 

[Pib]

You can go into the branch and ask for a counter withdrawal (usually referred to as a cash advance here whether a debit or credit card).  Whether the branch will do a counter withdrawal varies from branch to branch.   Take you passport for ID.

 

You said you just talked to them and they told you your limit is $1000/day.  I just have to ask, did you confirm it's not blocked on your very recent call?  Just because you told them several weeks in advance doesn't mean they coded their system properly regarding your travel.

 

Be sure to try ATMs from different banks(i.e., Krungsri, Bangkok Bank, TMB, Kaiskorn, etc) and in completely different locations.    By the way Krungsri and TMB ATMs allow up to Bt30K per withdrawal....most other Thai banks only allow Bt20K or Bt25K.

 

Last year I had a problem with my Schwab debit card working in a Krungsri ATM outside their branch....a new branch and new ATM.  Plus the card wouldn't work in a Thai Military Bank (TMB) ATM in the same mall.  But the card would work in the KrungThai Bank ATM in the same mall.  

 

I even had Schwab online while attempting the withdrawals in the Krungsri and TMB ATMs....on each rejection the Schwab rep said no attempted transaction was appearing on his real-time system.  But when I tried the KrungThai ATM I had success and he also saw the transaction real time.  He said it's probably a communications glitch with the Krungsri and TMB ATMs in this mall.  The next day I tried using a Krungsri ATM in another mall and the transaction worked fine.  The next day I tried the Krungsri ATM where I was being rejected and once again was rejected.  But about a month later I could successfully withdraw from the Krungsri and TMB ATMs in this one mall where I was getting rejections all the time.   I believe it was simply some communication problems with those ATMs in that one mall.

 

But if your card does not work in any bank's ATMs, it just a bad card "or you are really blocked" regardless of what your card-issuing bank told you.  And you are using the right PIN I hope.

 

 

[Jingthing]

Yes, call them again and make sure you aren't blocked.

Also keep trying with DIFFERENT Thai atm machines from DIFFERENT banks. 

 

How many different Thai banks have you tried already over what time span?

 

If it was only one or two banks over a short time span, it might be a glitch that will resolve itself later at a different bank. 

 

Not ragging on you personally, but this story is yet another example of why both expats  and tourists should have at least one BACKUP method for transferring funds. 

 

Another question. Your description of your ATM failure is very vague. 

 

Could it be you just haven't figured out to use an ATM machine here?

 

Of course the menus are different for each bank, but there should be a way to select English language.

 

Next time you try, write down exactly what happened and relay that here. It may be something very basic.

 

Current Account means Checking account. 

 

IF you got to the point where it tells you a message in English -- CONTACT YOUR BANK. Then, it is most likely about your bank. But you didn't say how far you got and what error message you got, if any. 

 

If it's really a matter of not understanding the machines, you may even want to find a non-busy bank and ask a staff member to help you. Wouldn't normally suggest that, but you might be getting desperate. 

 

Edited May 14, 2017 by Jingthing

[taxout]

If you're in Bangkok, then head to a Citibank branch and try the ATM there. If it doesn't work at a Citibank ATM then it's not going to work anywhere, at least until your home bank changes some settings.

 

http://www.citibank.co.th/en/static/Location.htm?lid=THENCBLCRLNTLLocationCA

 

[steven100]

Call your bank or go into a Citibank in Bangkok ( Asoke branch or Bangkapi mall ) and explain the problem and see if you can use their phone.

 

But before you do that,  you may like to go into any bank and try for a cash advance with the card, if it's a visa logo you can get a cash advance ... make sure you have your passport.

[Langsuan Man]

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

see if you can use their phone.

That's about all you will be able to do

 

Unless you have one of CitiBanks high dollar accounts they could care less about you

 

I opened a CitiBank account in the US so I could use my ATM card wherever I was travelling only to find that they are like McDonalds and their overseas branches act like "franchises"

 

Brought home to me in Germany where I was charged an out of network fee for using my CitCard in the lobby of the CitBank in Frankfurt 

[realenglish1]

Call you CC company and find out if they are blocking it If it still does not work after Go directly to a bank

in foreign currency transactions and see if you can withdraw right from them instead of ATM

 

 

[Jingthing]

Aren't there massive extra fees doing a cash advance?

I still find the OP very vague about what happened at the machine or machines. 

[RBOP]

Use Google Maps to locate your nearest Citibank branch. There are many.  Go to a Citibank branch and try there. Ask at the counter what's the problem.

[Jingthing]

16 minutes ago, RBOP said:

Use Google Maps to locate your nearest Citibank branch. There are many.  Go to a Citibank branch and try there. Ask at the counter what's the problem.

Like others, I am doubtful that Citibank Thailand will really see the OP as one of their actual customers. 

[Salerno]

CitiBank are a pain in the proverbial (Aus account at least) lost count of the amount of times they've screwed up access when in Bkk. If you can get to a branch, they will call the helpline for you but won't allow over the counter withdrawal (at least they won't for an Australian account).

[Pib]

43 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Aren't there massive extra fees doing a cash advance?

I still find the OP very vague about what happened at the machine or machines. 

The OP said he was using a debit card which would not have a cash advance fee although it still may carry a foreign transaction fee whether used at the counter or ATM.   Now the great majority of credit cards usually carry a 3% cash advance fee and also still may carry a foreign transaction fee at the counter or ATM.

 

When you go into a Thai bank to do a counter withdrawal with your foreign card the bank may refer to it as a cash advance...both Thai banks I use (a Bangkok Bank and Krungsri Bank branch) for counter withdrawals (a.k.a., cash advance as incorrectly referred to but still the reference they use) refer to it that way.  

 

Yes, for a debit card it's not  really a cash advance since the money is coming directly out of your bank account; but for a credit card it is a cash advance since the card company is effectively loaning you money just like when making a purchase they are basically loaning you the money to pay the merchant and then charging your credit card account for you to pay later.

 

 

[ThaiWai]

Forget the ATM, do you know what a phone is?

[Laza 45]

20 hours ago, Vexzy said:

Hmm, I don't want to have to send a new card here as I'm only a tourist. I just read online how simple and easy ATM machines were here so I just wanted to know what I'm doing wrong. Is it possible I'm trying to withdraw too much? I tried to withdraw 20,000 baht. Should I go to a bank for that much?

Did you try getting a cash advance over the counter?

[TobiasML]

If you are in BKK go to a Citibank branch. They can get it sorted for you. They have branches at Asok, Central World, Silom road


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[trentbridge]

This happened to me also, the only ABM that worked was Bangkok Bank.

[steven100]

4 minutes ago, trentbridge said:

This happened to me also, the only ABM that worked was Bangkok Bank.

what is an ABM    ?

[tonray]

7 minutes ago, steven100 said:

what is an ABM    ?

Anti Ballistic Missile. With North Korea acting up Trump has ordered all banks to install them

[steven100]

5 minutes ago, tonray said:

Anti Ballistic Missile. With North Korea acting up Trump has ordered all banks to install them

so the only one he found was at the Bangkok Bank  ....  lol   .... I wonder did he try the ATM while he was there  ..    

Edited May 15, 2017 by steven100

[tonray]

1 minute ago, steven100 said:

so the only one he found was at the Bangkok Bank  ....  lol        

Now we know where Trump keeps his cash.....

[Laza 45]

39 minutes ago, steven100 said:

what is an ABM    ?

...a spelling mistake... lol..

[edwardflory]

My bank "" locks"" my card every few months although I have been using 'over the counter' at the same Thai bank ( bank person knows me by name but still check and copy, passport and card, signature, jock strap size ) - for over 3 years, usually within 2 hours after my US bank post one of my retirement deposits.  Different reasons each time when I call to get it released.

 

ALSO:

1) make sure you can use a THAILAND ATM, some banks freeze your account in Thailand until they hear ( voice ) from you,

2) check your withdraw limit - I have a $XXX automatic withdrawal limit by design, then 5 days can withdraw $XXX more

[Mrjlh]

Not to be sarcastic (maybe a little) but try calling the security number on the back of the card. Have you tried? Surprising how it works when you talk to the people who actually control your cash instead of the people here.

[Tony125]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Like others, I am doubtful that Citibank Thailand will really see the OP as one of their actual customers. 

Yes they will, had Citi Bank Central World (4th floor) call my Citi USA and had them raise my withdrawel limit. Another time after being here awhile  Citi US blocked my card after seeing me here for months so figured card was stolen. Went to Citi Bank in BKK near Asok Station used their direct line  to explain problem and was told sometimes their computer will automatically block overseas transaction . They cleared it and I was good to go.

  Also you may be trying to withdraw too much from ATM . You may ahve a daily limit of $1,000 USD but some Thai ATMs will only give you 20,000 baht  ($579 ) at a time.  Bangkok Bank will give you 25,000 baht per transaction and CIMB, TMB, Krung Sri and Citi Bank will give you 30,000 baht per day.