An ABM ate my money and ...

Me_again

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Nov 21, 2004
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So we were leaving Las Terrenas a few days ago and and needed some pesos. I went to the machine in El Paseo and asked it for 5000 RDP. Out the money came and while I was putting my pen away and reaching for the wallet it snatched the cash and clamped shut like a clam. 'Couldn't have been more than three seconds. My card was spat out a few minutes later.

After forty-five minutes of frustration at the bank, the word was that I had to go back to Canada and get my bank to contact this bank and ... you get the idea perhaps?

Comments on the process of recovery from any of you who have similar experiences would be welcome. (Nasty comments from people who are simply trying to make themselves sound infallible and me a steaming twit will be ignored.)

Marc I didn't get around to mentioning this to you today, but no doubt I'll see you tomorrow for a breakfast beer and ask you about it then.
 

coho

On Vacation!
Mar 4, 2007
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You need to practice speedier money retrieval techniques. Let this be a lesson...
 

jackieboo

On Vaction without a return ticket!
Mar 18, 2006
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Tomorrow, call your bank in Canada and file a claim. It's as simple as that. The bank will most likely issue a 'tenative' credit while it's under investigation. The bank may ask that you close your account and have new cards issued prior to making the claim.

ATM problems are common here in the DR and I as I'm sure many others have had our share of issues. At least this time you got your card back and still have access to funds.

My advise to anyone that is considering a trip here is to make sure you have at least two bank accounts with funds in each. This way if one card is eaten or lost you still access to cash. Also I do advise that whenever possible use an ATM that is attached to a reputable bank that is open at the time of use. I understand you had issues with the bank however at least you had the opportunity to record the names and dates of the event.

Jack
 

amparocorp

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Aug 11, 2002
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good idea about the 2 bank accounts...................a few years ago i purchased a dining table in SD with a credit card frome the US. the banks computer seeing that this was not a hotel or vacation type expense, also that it was being used in a foreign country, assumed that something fishy was going on and suspended the card. had i not had back-up it could have been a mess..............
 

Me_again

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Nov 21, 2004
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.. and just got the cash back

It took a a little over a week from the time I reported it to my bank before the $179 CDN (5000 RDP) was returned to our account. Not bad I thought, though I would have felt more comfortable if I had been able to file a formal report in LT at the time. I did get and give to my bank the business card of the English speaking person in the bank in LT.
 

Me_again

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Nov 21, 2004
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" ... trouble with banks canceling their credit cards when they buy goods on vacation."

Yes I've heard of this, but the Bank of Montreal computer seems to recognise that Me_again's MasterCard will go on vacation to the DR every Feb-Mar. Our friends who came with us this year, phoned their bank since their card hadn't been out of the country in several years.
 

MommC

On Vacation!
Mar 2, 2002
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Gotta luv BofM......I have a note permanently on my file that I spend months in the DR, however the bank still notifies me or 'suspends' the card until they hear from me if anything 'suspicious' occurs. I've even gotten a replacement card within 24 hrs once when the card was being used fraudulently (an unscrupulous vendor copied the card number and security code (not my pin) and was using the card to buy online goods however BofM Mastercard 'suspended' the card and contacted me so they could cancel it and send a replacement)
 

Me_again

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Nov 21, 2004
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and the BofM computer did recognise that the card assigned to my wife really shouldn't be up and running in Moncton and Montreal at the same time. (Someone had copied the card in Montreal, we assume, on an earlier trip there)
 

SURFUP69

New member
May 24, 2006
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What I did was go into the bank and sit down with someone and get my money on my card each day I that I would need. Never had a problem that way.
 

Me_again

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Nov 21, 2004
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Again please

What I did was go into the bank and sit down with someone and get my money on my card each day I that I would need. Never had a problem that way.

Do you mean you go into the bank and use your ATM card -- instead of the maquina? How long does it take typically? Did you need to give some explanation -- a reason why you didn't use the ATM?
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
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I am sorry to hear of your ABM losses folks, but wouldn't it make logical sense to focus for the 15 seconds the drawer is open and GRAB THE CASH?

tambo'
 

Me_again

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Nov 21, 2004
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God luv ya JD Jones -- people didn't want to believe me that it was so fast. In my case I thought it was no more than two seconds. I know that machine and it's never been that fast before. In any event no more dawdling even for an unecessary nanosecond.
 

Uzin

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Oct 26, 2005
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I wonder if this is a new scam, perhaps they found a way to change the timing of the machines to pull back the cash quickly.... more reports will help to see how widespread it is (or may be just a few faulty machines).
 

Me_again

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Nov 21, 2004
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Scam?

I wonder if this is a new scam, perhaps they found a way to change the timing of the machines to pull back the cash quickly.... more reports will help to see how widespread it is (or may be just a few faulty machines).
Hmmm? Yes if enough reports of this or similar events surface ... we may legitimately conclude that ... let's not get paranoid though.

(I didn't think that my little confession-post would generate this much traffic.)
 

Pinky101

New member
Mar 11, 2007
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Hmmm? Yes if enough reports of this or similar events surface ... we may legitimately conclude that ... let's not get paranoid though.

(I didn't think that my little confession-post would generate this much traffic.)


... or laughter!
 

snowbird44

New member
Oct 29, 2004
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The same thing happened to me last year. I tried to take money out with my Bank Card (not credit Card) at the Scotia Bank in Cabarete, but no money came out. I never had a problem before, because that is how we draw money to live here during 5+ months every year.
That time I got no money and I got suspicious, went home and checked my account online and saw that the money came out of my account.
I went back to Scotia and they told me I have to sort this out with my Bank in Canada. I called my Bank to give the particulars, but didn't get a credit. However, within a few days of returning home and going to my Bank in person, my account was credited with the DR$10,000 I was trying to withdraw.
If anybody is having the same problem, you should deal with your Bank at home.