Changes To Bank Machines Here?

[syngirl]

I just tried to withdraw money from my account abroad (for the first time in months) and at 3 different machines (Frances, Santander, and Galicia) the machine told me that my card does not work in those machines (I tried all machines in each facility). At Banco La Nacion it looked like it was going to work and then after selecting 1500 pesos told me it was an invalid amount, then 700 same, then 500 same. I didn't try any less because why bother if I'm going to be charged the 50 pesos per transaction! I have money in my acct abroad, I checked, there are no minimum balances I need on there, so I can't figure out what's going on. Is it just that I'm out in Urquiza so they've disabled all machines here from accepting foreign cards?? If anyone could enlighten me that would be great -- I'd like to pay my cuota at the institute I'm studying at today if possible, but don't see a way of getting this resolved by end of day if I can't just put the card in the machine and take the money out.

Cheers

 

[sesamosinsal]

[sup]This happened to me once, but a quick call to the bank resolved it. Have you done that? Sometimes they randomly block your card for security purposes.[/sup]

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Yeah, I usually call ahead. This time I didn't and I couldnt withdraw any chilean pesos. Seems a bit OTT.

Interestingly in the queue for the ATM two chileans were remarking how incredible it was to find a working ATM at 6pm on a Tuesday evening, they were only short of dishing out the high fives!

 

[thorsten]

Basically the error messages of ATMs are kind of random - the issue could be e.g., no money in the account, no money in the ATM, no connection or failure between the network connection ATM/Bank, blocked card, reached limits (from the card/account/ATM), ... Best way to resolve it is as Bradley said calling your bank.

 

[semigoodlookin]

Before I got wise to getting money nearer the blue rate I used to exclusively withdraw money from cahs machines so am pretty experienced with this problem. If there is no money in the machine it will usually let you do things like check your balance and will simply not let you take money out. If it is because your bank blocked the card (happened to me at least five times) then as soon as you enter the pin then the machine will say this card is not accepted and sometimes, but not always, spits is back out. If you have been blocked, a simple call to your bank should suffice and you should try to get them not to block it again. They blocked mine on two consecutive days before, annoying to say the least.

 

[Tilda]

I had that problem here with banco Patagonia. They have two ATMs side by side and one does not work, ie doesn't retrieve my card information, but doesn't tell me until it is time to hand out the money. The other one tells me that it is reding the card information the moment I put in the card.

I still have one ATM that it works with.

 

[JoeGillis]

According to a TN television news report, approximately a month ago, Banelco has blocked some foreign ATM transactions with Banco Patagonia because the bank has failed to transfer monies due to said foreign banks for ATM transactions, etc. This news report appeared shortly after I experienced a denied ATM transaction at a nearby Banco Patagonia branch that I have been using for around four years or so. Earlier this week, I experienced the same denied transaction response at a nearby Santander Rio branch.

So far I have had no problem with ATM withdrawals from either Citibank or Banco Frances (I withdrew cash from the latter earlier today), both of which have branches nearby. As well, a friend of mine withdrew cash yesterday from an HSBC ATM. Both of our ATM cards are with US banks.

It's anyone's guess if this is a situation that will expand to other banks, although I have a feeling there shouldn't/won't be a problem with non-Argentine banks, like HSBC or Citibank. Of course, this could simply be wishful thinking on my part!

 

[citygirl]

My foreign card (Citibank) only works in a few machines. Started happening about 2 years ago which is about the same time I stopped using it b/c of blue rate. I only use it about 3x a year when I've forgotten a local card and as far as I know, Citibanks are no problem still. HSBC was hit or miss - only 1 of the ATMs in the bank would read it. Santander was a no-go. And Banco La Nacion was a yes but the limit was 900 pesos per transaction (but you could take out money multiple times and incur the whatever outrageous fee it is now - 60 pesos each time?)

 

[EdRooney]

My foreign card (Citibank)

And I always thought you got your name from your geographic location, but this makes so much more sense

 

[syngirl]

Yes I remember something about the banks only going to make one ATM machine available to non-clients, and then like I say I'm not in a tourist area so I wonder if maybe around here none of them are working for foreign cards? Honestly I don't use the card enough to be able to say how long it possibly has been that it's not working!

Anyway the only reason I had wanted to take money out is because the school I'm at has now put on a 20 pesos per day fee for every day you go beyond the 15th of the month. I usually just pay every 2 months but I've run out of cash dollars, so suddenly 20 pesos a day seems like a pain in the butt if I only get official rate out of the machine. In the end it's already friday afternoon, been working today and haven't bothered to do anything about it, so instead my husband just told me to send some $$ to his acct in Canada and he'll sell some of his USD and pass me the pesos.

Sometimes the amount of maneuvers you have to go through in this country are just too much. Drives me nuts.