ATM problem again...

whirleybird

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Feb 27, 2006
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okay, didn't bother to mention it the first time but it has happened again today that we tried to withdraw money from the ATM and the 'transaction couldn't be completed' but, within seconds it showed on our UK bank account that the money was no longer available.....

is this a DR problem or a UK one?
 
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belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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we are having atm problems, but in our case we always get the message "insufficient funds in your account" while there are plenty... (been going on now for 3 days)

Peter
 
Aug 21, 2007
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What bank? Happened to me once at Banco Popular. I called my bank immediately and faxed a written copy of what I experienced and ATM receipts. My bank did an "investigation," credited my account with a temporary credit pending investigation results, and that was it. Never heard any more. My assumption was that it was a mistake at the Banco Popular ATM and when an audit was done on the machine, my credit stood.

Good luck, Whirleybird. I recommend following through first with your bank as I did.

Lindsey
 

jalencastro

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Dec 15, 2004
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wow! cant believe this is happening all over again! Good luck Whirleybird, like others have said in the past just follow up because thats terrible to have to go through and then find out later your funds are no longer there....wonder why this keeps happening.
Anyone else encounter this specific to a bank? i notice lots of problems with Popular but it has happened at others as well....
good luck to all
 
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KikoPresidente

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Mar 20, 2009
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Happened to me at Banco Del Progresso. And the folks in the bank said there was nothing they could do. I called my home bank immediately and they did credit me the money. I agree...go inside your bank and do a cash advance, it is much more secure and safe.... that is in my opinion.
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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so you go into any bank with your, in my case Belgian, maestro/ATM card and ask for money there?

If that is possible what is the limit and what are the costs? This could really solve my problems.

Thanks,

Peter
 

RacerX

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Nov 22, 2009
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I had that problem in February at Banco Popular, Progreso y Scotiabank. I called my bank Chase Manhattan, collect in Texas and they told me it is a software problem with the Dominican banks. The local banks are using an outdated program so the banks cannot interface in order to allow you to withdraw money.
I got around it by going to Asocacion de Ahorros y Prestas de Cibao. THe card works fine in their atm but the drawback is I didnt get charge any ATM fees at Banco Popular and I do at Cibao. But let me tell you I was flustered that day. It was a Friday night and I was trying to withdraw money for a date. And there I was having to run around to 7 banks trying to take out $.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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RacerX said:
I had that problem in February at Banco Popular, Progreso y Scotiabank.

Oh noes! On the rare occasions that I withdraw cash from my UK a/c I use Scotiabank, because I thought it was one bank that I never saw represented in these threads...
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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I had that problem in February at Banco Popular, Progreso y Scotiabank. I called my bank Chase Manhattan, collect in Texas and they told me it is a software problem with the Dominican banks. The local banks are using an outdated program so the banks cannot interface in order to allow you to withdraw money.
I got around it by going to Asocacion de Ahorros y Prestas de Cibao. THe card works fine in their atm but the drawback is I didnt get charge any ATM fees at Banco Popular and I do at Cibao. But let me tell you I was flustered that day. It was a Friday night and I was trying to withdraw money for a date. And there I was having to run around to 7 banks trying to take out $.

any of those in La Vega or Santiago?
 

RacerX

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Nov 22, 2009
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Well, I know of at least 2 in santiago, both downtown. One on Restauracion and Cuba and the other on 30 de Marzo and Beller. In La Vega, I m not sure.
 

AlterEgo

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Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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Whirlybird, the exact same thing happened to us using a BHD machine - no money came out but $487.00 was 'missing' from our US account. We put in a claim with our US bank [PNC] but thought the money was long gone. They immediately put the money back into our account 'temporarily' while they investigated, and then about a month later they sent us a letter saying it was permanently ours. We were pleasantly surprised.

It can only be tracked from your own bank, not the bank in DR whose ATM you used.

AE
 

KikoPresidente

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Mar 20, 2009
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so you go into any bank with your, in my case Belgian, maestro/ATM card and ask for money there?

If that is possible what is the limit and what are the costs? This could really solve my problems.

Thanks,

Peter

Yes, it is very simple. There is no charge at the bank, you may incur a cash advance charge from your home bank. I have done advances for upwards of 50,000 pesos, no problem.
 

AlterEgo

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Yes, it is very simple. There is no charge at the bank, you may incur a cash advance charge from your home bank. I have done advances for upwards of 50,000 pesos, no problem.

Are you talking about a cash advance that you're paying interest on from the second you get it?? As opposed to taking cash from your checking account using an ATM machine with no interest, only ATM fees?

AE
 

sangria

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May 16, 2006
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I usually use scotiabank or ban reservas because i find them to be reliable and give the best exchange rates.

I often found that it would only let me withdraw a certain amount at a time (below the 10,000 peso limit per transaction). It would say insufficient funds but then let me perform a second transaction.

It does drive me crazy with a $5.00 charge per transaction but never had a problem with either of those 2 banks.
 

Celt202

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May 22, 2004
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okay, didn't bother to mention it the first time but it has happened again today that we tried to withdraw money from the ATM and the 'transaction couldn't be completed' but, within seconds it showed on our UK bank account that the money was no longer available.....

is this a DR problem or a UK one?

That's happened twice to me at Scotiabank on M?ximo G?mez in Santo Trafficjam with my Bank of America ATM card.

The transactions showed up as completed in my account online. I called Bank of America (free on my magicJack) and they provisionally restored the funds.

They communicate with the DR bank to see if they object. After a period of 45 days or so they close the investigation if the DR bank does not object and the 'provisional' status is removed.

I like the convenience of getting money with no fees from an ATM because of the agreement BofA has with Scotia. I can go to the teller and take out money but then I get hit with the fees.

The uncertainty of things like this is to me part of the 'through the looking glass' nature of living here. It's like a Wallenda walking a wire. Is there a net? Will the wind kick up? :paranoid:

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln how did you enjoy the play?"

"Sarge, they're shooting at us."

"I know, son but you can't stay on the beach."
 
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RacerX

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That's happened twice to me at Scotiabank on M?ximo G?mez in Santo Trafficjam with my Bank of America ATM card.

The transactions showed up as completed in my account online. I called Bank of America (free on my magicJack) and they provisionally restored the funds.

They communicate with the DR bank to see if they object. After a period of 45 days or so they close the investigation if the DR bank does not object and the 'provisional' status is removed.

I like the convenience of getting money with no fees from an ATM because of the agreement BofA has with Scotia. I can go to the teller and take out money but then I get hit with the fees.

The uncertainty of things like this is to me part of the 'through the looking glass' nature of living here. It's like a Wallenda walking a wire. Is there a net? Will the wind kick up? :paranoid:

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln how did you enjoy the play?"

"Sarge, they're shooting at us."

"I know, son but you can't stay on the beach."

I hear you, because you start to think something is wrong when you put the card in and nothing comes out. And my thing, where did the money go? It didnt come out the machine! But there it is online as a deduction. And what would happen if you didnt make note of it and complain instantly? And even more, what moron establishes his banks operating system like that? To hide money withdrawn from international cards?
 

whirleybird

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Feb 27, 2006
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Fortunately, when we try to withdraw from our UK bank account with the debit card, although it shows immediately against the 'available balance', it does not necessarily take the money from our account at that point because it only shows as a withdrawal transaction 2/ 3 working days later.

An email to my UK branch of the bank ensures that the 'rogue' transaction will not be authorised and therefore we never actually lose the money but it is just 'not available' for those few interim days.
 

belgiank

Silver
Jun 13, 2009
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no probs in withdrawing funds today... an email to my bank for an explanation drew a blank, as there was no problem on their side, the safety limit had not been reached, and the only explanation they could come up with, was the fact that I withdrew twice the same amount in a matter of minutes (this was because of the limit imposed at some atm's here). This causes my bank (and all Belgian banks) to block the card immediately for a couple of hours, just in case my card would have been stolen or duplicated. I knew about this, and normally after 24 hours there is no problem anymore... this time it persisted 3 days... so their assumption is they can lift the block, but the atm's in the DR do not... (and there was a huge software renewal about 2 weeks ago... all atm's were out for about a day)
 

Tor

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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You folks are way to impatient and worried. After 10 years in Sosua, using only atm's for money, this has happened to me only once. Didn't get the money, and the account was debited. I did nothing about it, just decided to wait and see, and in about 4 days the amount was back in my account.