Warning!!!

When you have this problem...you simply contact your bank in USA and they will get your money back. My bank gives back my money immediately and then resolves the problem. That is standard operating procedure. You do have to fill out a form.

Snuffy, good to know. But how do you handle it when you are here and the bank is in the US? Does your bank fax the form? What do you have to give the bank to prove you were really beaten out of your money by the ATM?

Ken said:

Snuffy, good to know. But how do you handle it when you are here and the bank is in the US? Does your bank fax the form? What do you have to give the bank to prove you were really beaten out of your money by the ATM?

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I assume the system is set up whereby it knows when a mistake has been made. I would assume your bank can fax the form or mail it. It does not have to happen immediately. When this happened to me...I waited until I returned to USA to do the form. That was several weeks. I did not have to prove anything. They did their investigation and eventually let me know the investigation was completed and that yes the ATM had not paid me and the bank had debited my money. But as I said, as soon as I reported it via phone...they credited my account.

You can call your bank and ask to discuss this.

ATM Errors

This has happened to me only once and the only thing that saved my bacon was that I kept all the transaction receipts. I photocopied them and itemized them for my bank here. Once I handed over the paperwork (copies etc.) within the week they had retrieved the funds from the Santo Domingo head office.

KEEP ALL YOUR RECEIPTS AND THEN CHECK YOUR ACCOUNT BALANCES. If the two sets of amounts don't match then you have a case.

My sister got her card stuck in Banco De Reservas ATM and by the time she got in touch with the bank ALL her money was gone. She tried to fight it only to get the runaround and eventually lost all of the money she had in that account. It was definitely an inside job. I would NEVER use Banco De Reservas for anything...The fact that is a government owned bank is enough for me to stay as far away as possible from them. I've always used Banco Popular and (knock on wood) have had no problem at all. I've also taken money out of Banco Progreso ATM's with no problems.

NEVER take money out on a weekend. Make sure when you do the bank is open so if your card is taken you can go in immediately and make a big scene, otherwise you're dead meat. Bank employees in The DR have been pulling this for year in different banks (including Banco Popular in Sosua). They do it, because they know they can just trow their hands up and say "There's nothing they can do...It's not their problem" and they know there's no way for you to recoup your money.

You also need to be very careful with the use of credit cards back home. A friend of mine used his credit card at a supossedly reputable hotel and when he came back to the US he had all kinds of stuff charged to it, including an airline ticket to Costa Rica. It took him a long time to get things straightened out. I only use my credit cards and ATM as an absolute last resort while in The DR and then I watch transactions like a hawk for the next few days...

I think I have been a customer of almost every bank in the Dominican Republic. Of all these I prefer BanReservas (although I am also a customer of Popular). Your mileage may vary of course. Never had a problem with their ATMs, in fact the only problem I ever had with a debit card was in Asociaci?n Popular. I tried many times to take money out of the ATM, nothing the receipt always said that the transaction was "unavailable" and to "try again". After 10 tries (I really needed the money), I finally called the bank and they told me I had no money left, I had taken all of it out. I explained to them what happened and they told me to go to any of their offices with the receipts. I filled a claim and the money was returned.

Of course there is a catch: 15 working days to get the money back. I wasn't thrilled. We parted ways after that.

Money problem!!

Hi!

I just got back from DR, Sosua and checked my accont and hade a big surprice!
Someone hade made a withdrawl for 20000 pesos + 4000 pesos at the same day!
And it was?nt me!!
How can this be possible when the biggest ammount you can get for one day is 5000 pesos.

I contacted my bank and they told me that during my flight back to Sweden someone had tried to get even more money from my accont but i didnt have any more so it was not working!
How can this be possible when i had my card with me all the time.
I know that there are som bad guys that are wery good at making copys of bank cards and codes but i dont know when this culd have happned.
Anyway I have to go to tha police and to my bank and hopefully i get my money back.

Pib said:

I think I have been a customer of almost every bank in the Dominican Republic. Of all these I prefer BanReservas (although I am also a customer of Popular). Your mileage may vary of course. Never had a problem with their ATMs, in fact the only problem I ever had with a debit card was in Asociaci?n Popular. I tried many times to take money out of the ATM, nothing the receipt always said that the transaction was "unavailable" and to "try again". After 10 tries (I really needed the money), I finally called the bank and they told me I had no money left, I had taken all of it out. I explained to them what happened and they told me to go to any of their offices with the receipts. I filled a claim and the money was returned.

Of course there is a catch: 15 working days to get the money back. I wasn't thrilled. We parted ways after that.

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I had an account with BanReservas...my experience was just the opposite of yours. I will never bank with them again. I now bank with Santa Cruz. So far they have been great.