Theft by Bank Teller

[CDNBear]

Banco HD Leon. Their message keeps telling me that my bank has declined the transaction. My bank says no, it was not presented to them. It could be a software error or it could be a result of me challenging (and losing) when they charged me for the $50 that I didn't get. I don't know. I have to ATM cards and both work fine with the other banks. So I'm not pushing it.

Happened to me as well, ScotiaBank Cabarete denies transaction on my foreign credit card, my foreign debit cards are OK and without any ATM fee. Tried my foreign credit card 3 times and my bank cancelled the card as well
Had to make a call to activate the card. Hmm....Never repeated that again but checked once that the card is still denied.

The card are of course fine to use other places to pay for goods.

 

[JD Jones]

Happened to me as well, ScotiaBank Cabarete denies transaction on my foreign credit card, my foreign debit cards are OK and without any ATM fee. Tried my foreign credit card 3 times and my bank cancelled the card as well
Had to make a call to activate the card. Hmm....Never repeated that again but checked once that the card is still denied.

The card are of course fine to use other places to pay for goods.

As a general rule any time you are going to travel you should notify your bank of the countries and dates. Many, many years ago I had problems with a couple of my cards including two that were retained by an ATM machine (in Colombia)
I got this same advise and started following it everytime I took a trip. I haven't had a problem since.
Banks really take a beating on fraudulent CC transactions.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

JD I was just about to say the same thing. The DR bank needs to be connected to the international network that your home bank card uses for it to be available for use in a particular bank atm in this country.

 

[Caonabo]

Happened to me as well, ScotiaBank Cabarete denies transaction on my foreign credit card, my foreign debit cards are OK and without any ATM fee. Tried my foreign credit card 3 times and my bank cancelled the card as well
Had to make a call to activate the card. Hmm....Never repeated that again but checked once that the card is still denied.

The card are of course fine to use other places to pay for goods.

Most of the problems affiliated with the tourist zone ATMs, regardless of southern or nothern tier (Boca Chica, Sosua y Cabarete) is that the machines are ongoingly compromised. The banking institutions are very well aware of where these REGIONAL problems exist.
You can thank the Russian and Balkan syndicates, for this inconvenience .
It is not a new phenomenon.
Food for thought.....ever wonder why Dominicans, or long-termers prefer to enter the branch, and do their dealings with tellers or office personnel? It is worth waiting your turn in line.

 

[CDNBear]

Most of the problems affiliated with the tourist zone ATMs, regardless of southern or nothern tier (Boca Chica, Sosua y Cabarete) is that the machines are ongoingly compromised. The banking institutions are very well aware of where these REGIONAL problems exist.
You can thank the Russian and Balkan syndicates, for this inconvenience .
It is not a new phenomenon.
Food for thought.....ever wonder why Dominicans, or long-termers prefer to enter the branch, and do their dealings with tellers or office personnel? It is worth waiting your turn in line.

For me, minor inconvenience. I use my foreign debit card to withdraw money from the ATM’s instead of the credit card issued from the same bank. Works.
I prefer awoiding lines if possible. If one card is declined somehow, I just use another card or go to another bank.

But I prefer my local debit card normally uses that.

The few problems I have had with ATM’s has resolved themselves by complaining to my bank. Money returned always.

 

[Chirimoya]

I had a fraudulent transaction on my BPD card about two weeks ago and the only place it could have been compromised was an ATM. I get email notifications for each transaction so was able to report it immediately. Their claim process is straightforward but I'm still waiting for the money to be refunded.

 

[CDNBear]

I had a fraudulent transaction on my BPD card about two weeks ago and the only place it could have been compromised was an ATM. I get email notifications for each transaction so was able to report it immediately. Their claim process is straightforward but I'm still waiting for the money to be refunded.

Yes, it took some time for me as well, I believe 3-4 weeks.

 

[XTraveller]

Banco Popular. As I originally said, I'm not bashing the bank. They quickly corrected the problem.

Thank you. Of course this is not the bank policy but glad to hear that the bank took the right action and not just blame you.

 

[XTraveller]

Banco HD Leon. Their message keeps telling me that my bank has declined the transaction. My bank says no, it was not presented to them. It could be a software error or it could be a result of me challenging (and losing) when they charged me for the $50 that I didn't get. I don't know. I have to ATM cards and both work fine with the other banks. So I'm not pushing it.

I had the same problem with Bank Popular a few years ago. After using my foreign Debit card for many years all of a sudden "decline transaction" Banks first response here was your card/ your bank problem, but my card was good at other banks ATM here and after calling my foreign bank and confirming card and account all good. Make a long story short after a few months and other customers having same problem it was discovered that when the tech updated software for ATM it was not program correctly.

I found this out after talking with tech because Bank Popular never ever admit to problem even if their technical department discovered problem.

What I learned from this is if you are expat and live from your foreign bank income you need a back up to access your money.
I now have Plan A, Plan B and Plan C to access my foreign income. I switch plans ever few months to make sure all are working.

XTraveller

 

[XTraveller]

For the life of me I can't remember the name of it but many banks here belong to a network of ATM's.

If that network emblem isn't displayed at the ATM that ATM will not accept non-network cards.

Their are"Cirrus, Plus, NYCE, Interac"may be more. Most Debit card or Credit card have more than one.

 

[JD Jones]

Their are"Cirrus, Plus, NYCE, Interac"may be more. Most Debit card or Credit card have more than one.

The one I was trying to remember is ATH:

It's a Caribbean based network associated with NYCE.

 

[Sailor51]

My bank in the states told me many years ago to always use the same bank's ATM
when with taking out money. This way if there is ever a problem they will only have to deal with one institution when sorting it out, not several.

That's an interesting statement, and I do agree with it. But one cannot always find 'their bank' when traveling. I often used travelers cheques when cruising because they're supposed to be safer. Avoids service fees too. Thing was that some banks would not cash them without an acount. I had my license and passport for ID too. And this was in the states. Did not have a problem in stores.
So I ask, would it be better to go inside and use the card that way? Rather than risk an ATM being out of cash?

 

[carlos]

Stay on topic....

 

[arturo]

We had an atm (BHD) charge our account almost $500 but no money came out. We got it back.

Same, only a month ago, US$200 from an ATM at a supermarket. The ATM dispensed no money but the amount was deducted from my account. I had a refund in less than one week from my US based bank.

 

[Caonabo]

Banco Popular. As I originally said, I'm not bashing the bank. They quickly corrected the problem.

For future reference it would be beneficial to know which branch, if possible, as this seems to be an isolated incident and not systemic.

 

[bienamor]

Have had the ATM not dispense even in the US. took a week to get it back. So it don't just happen here!

 

[JLSawmam]

For future reference it would be beneficial to know which branch, if possible, as this seems to be an isolated incident and not systemic.

I agree it is not a systemic issue. An individual made the theft, and was caught. I don't see it as a branch issue either; the branch resolved it. I shared the story so that others would be aware, and to encourage those who do not already do so to monitor their accounts on-line. ATM issues are a little different, however. I use my BPD debit card only at BPD ATMs, and the couple times I had a problem, BPD quickly resolved it.

 

[Caonabo]

I agree it is not a systemic issue. An individual made the theft, and was caught. I don't see it as a branch issue either; the branch resolved it. I shared the story so that others would be aware, and to encourage those who do not already do so to monitor their accounts on-line. ATM issues are a little different, however. I use my BPD debit card only at BPD ATMs, and the couple times I had a problem, BPD quickly resolved it.

Since you are hesitant to relay information on which specific branch, can you break it down by region?
Perhaps divide the nation into quadrants...N/E, S/E, N/W, S/W.
While understanding you do not wish to drag the branch through the gauntlet, it would assist members of this community to know if the act in question occurred in a locale that is frequented by foreigners.