Banco Poular ate my card

Alexandradebrian

New member
Jun 8, 2013
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Last Sunday, we were visiting family in Santo Domingo and needed some pesos, so we went to the ATM at la Sirena. I used the Banco Popular machine with my British Bank Card. I just asked for a couple of thousand pesos to pay the taxis. The machine made some weird noises and looked like it was trying to return the card before giving us the money. No chance, it just swallowed the card and said it was for security reasons. Next Day, I called Popular and they said in order to get the card back, I had to travel from Punta Cana to SD and fill out a form then maybe in 48 hours or so someone would go to the machine to retrieve my card. Is this crazy or what. I ended up cancelling the card. Don't they appreciate the value of foreigners visiting here? No emergency service?
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
3,940
1
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This happened to me in Juan Dolio a few months ago, but this was because I was using a foreign card but entered my banco popular pin. Absolutely my fault, but seems you don't get a second chance with foreign cards in BP. Fortunately it was at the branch and I just walked inside and told them what happened, they opened the machine and gave me my card back. Stupidly I walked back out to the machine and did exactly the same thing again. Embarrassingly went back in to get my card and got it right third time.
Did you enter the wrong pin?


Just on a side note, I am a member of BP but don't trust them. A couple of years ago I took too long to take my cash and it sucked it back in. This was not at a branch, so I went to the branch told them what happened and the machine would be holding RD5000 over balance tonight. They said they would look into it. A few weeks later and they denied that it was over, which is impossible.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
580
113
Santiago DR
This happened to me in Juan Dolio a few months ago, but this was because I was using a foreign card but entered my banco popular pin. Absolutely my fault, but seems you don't get a second chance with foreign cards in BP. Fortunately it was at the branch and I just walked inside and told them what happened, they opened the machine and gave me my card back. Stupidly I walked back out to the machine and did exactly the same thing again. Embarrassingly went back in to get my card and got it right third time.
Did you enter the wrong pin?

I was having a bad day..........
But your post cheered me up.............
I don't feel so dumb anymore.............lol

B in Santiago
 

charlise

Bronze
Nov 1, 2012
751
0
0
A couple of years ago I took too long to take my cash and it sucked it back in. This was not at a branch, so I went to the branch told them what happened and the machine would be holding RD5000 over balance tonight. They said they would look into it. A few weeks later and they denied that it was over, which is impossible.

Every time the machine spits my money out, I jump on it the next nano-second.. Why take time to take your money ???
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
Normal procedure is that you don't get it back. Only a card of the bank where you left it in the machine will be returned. Cards from other banks will be destroyed.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
113
Normal procedure is that you don't get it back. Only a card of the bank where you left it in the machine will be returned. Cards from other banks will be destroyed.

You are correct. For those that actually got their foreign cards back, they were being extra nice that day and not following normal procedures. If the machine eats your card, cancel it immediately (unless they are being extra nice and you get it back right away) and order a new one. That is the safest option you have.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
I stopped using my "ATM Debit Cards " here about two years ago.
I haven't had any problems since!!!! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
The ,"Last Straw" was the $1.500 US in fraudulent charges, in "FRANCE"!!!!
Before THAT, I DID!!!!
For 25 years.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i do not understand why does DR have to make easy things difficult. using ATM turns into a battle. but what do you expect, here even taking a dump in a complicated procedure because DO NOT THROW PAPER INTO THE TOILET!
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
3,940
1
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Every time the machine spits my money out, I jump on it the next nano-second.. Why take time to take your money ???

You think I was just relaxing, daydreaming? No, I had to grab my child as she was edging towards the pedestrian traffic of the supermarket, those machines must retract within 4 seconds. Does that answer suffice your intrigue?
 

skynet

Bronze
Aug 25, 2013
1,238
0
0
Crazy bs!!! Happen to me once at scotia bank, was in the morning and they were still closed..i knew what was to come, went home got my passport and waited for them to open, showed them my pp, yes that helped, was very impressed..lol..not that pp..;) and bam! Got my card back in under 5 nanu minutes..why did they take it??? Glad they did! My bank put a hold on it for suspected fraud...turns out my card was compromised from another atm so they ordered to be held..called my bank, reopened my card since it turned out fine...

Next time, demand your card back, tell them to hold their bs for another day...
 

retiree

Bronze
Jan 18, 2008
978
10
0
If you use your ATM card at a bank then they can retrieve it for you. If it is an ATM at a store or any stand alone then you are out of luck. Best to only use an ATM at a bank that is open.
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
5,545
1,327
113
Happened to me at ATM at PoPairport. Had loads of family roumd for my wedding. Not much cash ( silly me thinking cards would work). Machine keeps spitting my card back out ( one of thoese machines where only half thecard goes in ).
Go into bank, they tell me card is blocked. Tell me to go to bigger bank intown. On the way I call my bank in france. They say urecard is not blocked no problem. Bp in POP insists my card is blocked.
My farther goes in person to french bank, bank says its fine the card works.
Go to santiago, meet with bank manager at BP. He insists the card has been opposed, got him onthe phone with french bank (one hell of a conversation in english, dominicanenglish vs frenchenglish).

Anyway a couple of months later I arrive back in france. Up to bank to rant and rave. They say lets go to ATM and guess what it worked fine!!!

Go figure.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
If you use your ATM card at a bank then they can retrieve it for you. If it is an ATM at a store or any stand alone then you are out of luck. Best to only use an ATM at a bank that is open.
That's exactly how it is. I've had my BofA card eaten by a Scotiabank machine inside the bank. Bank itself was still closed. When it opened they did give it back. But if it happens at a stand alone machine, forget it, unless it's a card of the same bank, then they'll keep it for you.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
This happened to me in Juan Dolio a few months ago, but this was because I was using a foreign card but entered my banco popular pin. Absolutely my fault, but seems you don't get a second chance with foreign cards in BP. Fortunately it was at the branch and I just walked inside and told them what happened, they opened the machine and gave me my card back. Stupidly I walked back out to the machine and did exactly the same thing again. Embarrassingly went back in to get my card and got it right third time.
Did you enter the wrong pin?


Just on a side note, I am a member of BP but don't trust them. A couple of years ago I took too long to take my cash and it sucked it back in. This was not at a branch, so I went to the branch told them what happened and the machine would be holding RD5000 over balance tonight. They said they would look into it. A few weeks later and they denied that it was over, which is impossible.

The same thing happened to me. They told me to call my CC company and they would fix it. Well they did. I sent them the receipt and a note telling what happened and not long after got a full credit. BP told me this would get it back. You just got the wrong information.
 

CaptnGlenn

Silver
Mar 29, 2010
2,321
26
48
you get very little time at the atm... even just logging in. Damn thing cancelled my transaction three times before I could complete it... and I wasn't just effing around... only paused for a few seconds. When you use one, you better know exactly how much you want to take out, and be quick on the draw hitting the buttons.

OF COURSE the Admiral was getting some cash too, and completed HER transaction on the first try. Then she just laughs at me.