Using ATMs in France & Spain

[mikemelson]

I have made quite a few trips to France & Spain & in the past have taken some cash & the rest in Amex Travellers Cheques. Up to now I have using a back-street asian forex that has been giving excellent exchange rates but, unfortunately they have done the proverbial runner (something to do with alleged money-laundering)

So, I am now thinking of using my debit card to draw cash from machines but have this paranoid fear of the ATM swallowing up my card never to be seen again, like being up s**t creek without a paddle.

Can you lot out there put my mind at rest on this one, I met one guy & he said it was dead easy & one could get a good rate. I would be very grateful for any information.

[dikyenfo]

Dont worry too much about that my wife stuffed our card into the receipt and it got eaten but a quick trip into the shop got it sorted no probs. Also the cards now work in all the 24 hr petrol stations and I find them easier than Tesco ones that seem really complex and slow.

[mondo]

There are no worries at all..providing you input the PIN correctly.. we used ours in Spain and France last year.. and the ATMs read out in most languages now so no real probs

[Vernon B]

As said, Jonnie Foreigner's ATM's are every bit as secure as ours - perhaps more so.

 

It might be worth looking at some of the financial advice websites, or do a search under "Nationwide" on this forum, and you'll find a lot of info on what cards give you the best exchange rates.

 

A point to be aware of is that some ATM's ask if you want you account debited in £s or Euros. Selecting the "Euro" option will generally give you the best exchange rate.

 

V

 

 

 

 

 

[vindiboy]

Always a worry about a cash machine eating your card isn't it, we always try to use a cash machine where the bank is open as if your card is eaten you have a starting place to try and get it back.

[Brian Kirby]

As above, you shouldn't have a problem with the machines themselves, or using the UK card.

The one thing to be cautious about is the machine itself, and whether it shows any signs of having been tampered with - any oddities around the card entry slot, for example.  It seems there is quite a widespread racket in "skimming" the cards, using devices fitted to the front of the machines to read the electronic data and your pin.  A cloned card is then made from a blank, giving access to your account. 

Since credit cards are bad value for cash withdrawals, most folk use debit cards and, with these, once the fraudster has your account details they have access to your entire account.  They can obtain statements, read your balance and then, at least subject to cash withdrawal limitations, can empty it!  For this reason it is better to use machines in town centres, at larger bank branches, or at large supermarkets, where the machines themselves are often under CCTV surveillance and are more liable to be checked for abnormalities, in preference to machines at, for example, filling stations.

If possible, open a second account, with limited funds, to at least limit the damage if the worst should happen.  With internet banking - providing you have a reasonably secure connection - you can then top up the "holiday" account from your regular account as and when.

[Cattwg]

We have used our debit cards in ATMs in several European countries, including France and Spain, for over four years and have had no problems. We shall be using them again this Autumn.

Tampering with ATMs happens in th UK so you need to be aware that the same could happen abroad.

Cattwg :-D