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#1
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
For background, on our last six-country trip through Europe (including one Eastern European country) we again discovered that ATMs have come to be the best way to get local currency in foreign lands. This holds true most everywhere -- the days of AmEx travelers checks are gone. Or maybe not. Our financial institution here in the USA issues a "Check Card" (which functions both as a credit card and a debit card) with a Visa brand and number, that also has the Cirrus logo on the back. (They don't do MasterCards.) The Visa card worked flawlessly on the Europe trip. But there seems to be a problem with using it in South Africa. Maybe. A search of the ATM locater at Visa's website shown only a few usable machines in Jo'burg, and only a couple in Cape Town. None anywhere else in the country. Yet I read elsewhere that there are thousands of ATM machines everywhere throughout the country. (Incredulity episode number two in planning this trip to South Africa.) So I then called the Cirrus folks (which is usually associated with MasterCards, whereas Visa cards normally carry a Plus system affiliation) and asked if my Visa card would work in their MasterCard Cirrus machines in South Africa (of which there are many). They didn't know. They said it was very unusual for a Visa card to carry a Cirrus logo on the back. The first four numbers on any ATM-usable card identify it as either a Visa or MasterCard here, and an ATM that takes only one brand won't accept any other. (Here, however, almost all ATMs accept both brands.) I then called the Visa USA and Visa International lines and asked the same question. They didn't know either. And my financial institution didn't know, and referred me back to the people I had already called. Soooo, do any of you people out there know for sure if a Visa branded Cirrus-affiliated ATM card will work in one of the MasterCard Cirrus affiliated ATMs in South Africa (at places like Standard and ABSA banks, for instance)? I can't get an answer from here, it seems. Not being able to get an answer will mean having to go out and buy thousands of dollars worth of AmEx traveler's checks, and then deal with cashing and converting them to Rands all across South Africa. (Whew, this trip has sure gotten complicated...) TIA, Caveat |
#2
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
"Caveat" schreef in bericht ... For background, on our last six-country trip through Europe (including one Eastern European country) we again discovered that ATMs have come to be the best way to get local currency in foreign lands. This holds true most everywhere -- the days of AmEx travelers checks are gone. Or maybe not. Our financial institution here in the USA issues a "Check Card" (which functions both as a credit card and a debit card) with a Visa brand and number, that also has the Cirrus logo on the back. (They don't do MasterCards.) The Visa card worked flawlessly on the Europe trip. But there seems to be a problem with using it in South Africa. Maybe. A search of the ATM locater at Visa's website shown only a few usable machines in Jo'burg, and only a couple in Cape Town. None anywhere else in the country. Yet I read elsewhere that there are thousands of ATM machines everywhere throughout the country. (Incredulity episode number two in planning this trip to South Africa.) So I then called the Cirrus folks (which is usually associated with MasterCards, whereas Visa cards normally carry a Plus system affiliation) and asked if my Visa card would work in their MasterCard Cirrus machines in South Africa (of which there are many). They didn't know. They said it was very unusual for a Visa card to carry a Cirrus logo on the back. The first four numbers on any ATM-usable card identify it as either a Visa or MasterCard here, and an ATM that takes only one brand won't accept any other. (Here, however, almost all ATMs accept both brands.) I then called the Visa USA and Visa International lines and asked the same question. They didn't know either. And my financial institution didn't know, and referred me back to the people I had already called. Soooo, do any of you people out there know for sure if a Visa branded Cirrus-affiliated ATM card will work in one of the MasterCard Cirrus affiliated ATMs in South Africa (at places like Standard and ABSA banks, for instance)? I can't get an answer from here, it seems. Not being able to get an answer will mean having to go out and buy thousands of dollars worth of AmEx traveler's checks, and then deal with cashing and converting them to Rands all across South Africa. (Whew, this trip has sure gotten complicated...) TIA, Caveat What is the question? Slainte. Corné. www.amukela.com |
#3
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
Caveat schreef:
For background, on our last six-country trip through Europe (including one Eastern European country) we again discovered that ATMs have come to be the best way to get local currency in foreign lands. This holds true most everywhere -- the days of AmEx travelers checks are gone. Or maybe not. Our financial institution here in the USA issues a "Check Card" (which functions both as a credit card and a debit card) with a Visa brand and number, that also has the Cirrus logo on the back. (They don't do MasterCards.) The Visa card worked flawlessly on the Europe trip. But there seems to be a problem with using it in South Africa. Maybe. A search of the ATM locater at Visa's website shown only a few usable machines in Jo'burg, and only a couple in Cape Town. None anywhere else in the country. Yet I read elsewhere that there are thousands of ATM machines everywhere throughout the country. (Incredulity episode number two in planning this trip to South Africa.) So I then called the Cirrus folks (which is usually associated with MasterCards, whereas Visa cards normally carry a Plus system affiliation) and asked if my Visa card would work in their MasterCard Cirrus machines in South Africa (of which there are many). They didn't know. They said it was very unusual for a Visa card to carry a Cirrus logo on the back. The first four numbers on any ATM-usable card identify it as either a Visa or MasterCard here, and an ATM that takes only one brand won't accept any other. (Here, however, almost all ATMs accept both brands.) I then called the Visa USA and Visa International lines and asked the same question. They didn't know either. And my financial institution didn't know, and referred me back to the people I had already called. Soooo, do any of you people out there know for sure if a Visa branded Cirrus-affiliated ATM card will work in one of the MasterCard Cirrus affiliated ATMs in South Africa (at places like Standard and ABSA banks, for instance)? I can't get an answer from here, it seems. Not being able to get an answer will mean having to go out and buy thousands of dollars worth of AmEx traveler's checks, and then deal with cashing and converting them to Rands all across South Africa. (Whew, this trip has sure gotten complicated...) TIA, Caveat Nice to tell the newsgroup such a long story, bur where is the question? From your story I presume you would like to know if there are sufficient ATM al around South Africa. We visited SA beginning of 2004 and found more than sufficient ATM's all over the country. Certainly in all the major villages. G.F. |
#4
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
Caveat,
It is my understanding that ALL Mastercard, Visa, and Cirrus cards will work in the vast majority of ATM's in South Africa. AFAIK, almost every ATM is branded with all three logos, and will almost certainly work. Even in the unlikely event that they don't work, you can still use your Visa or Mastercard to pay for almost everything in South Africa, and if you need cash, all it takes is a visit to a bank. Banks are open from 9am to 3:30pm every weekday, and 9am to 12:30pm on Saturdays, even in small towns. Just about the only thing you can't buy on a credit card in South Africa is petrol and diesel. If I were you, I'd bring a few hundred dollars in notes to change at a forex bureau when you need the cash, and use the credit cards for everything else. Marc - Johannesburg |
#5
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
"Marc Lurie" wrote in message ... Caveat, It is my understanding that ALL Mastercard, Visa, and Cirrus cards will work in the vast majority of ATM's in South Africa. AFAIK, almost every ATM is branded with all three logos, and will almost certainly work. Even in the unlikely event that they don't work, you can still use your Visa or Mastercard to pay for almost everything in South Africa, and if you need cash, all it takes is a visit to a bank. Banks are open from 9am to 3:30pm every weekday, and 9am to 12:30pm on Saturdays, even in small towns. Just about the only thing you can't buy on a credit card in South Africa is petrol and diesel. If I were you, I'd bring a few hundred dollars in notes to change at a forex bureau when you need the cash, and use the credit cards for everything else. Marc - Johannesburg A small warning. During my trip this year to South Africa, all people in our group used the ATM at the airport of Johannesburg. One person had problems getting money. Someone locally was helping, but it looked like the ATM had eaten the ATM card. The next day, no card was in the machine, but twice the maximum amount of money was charged from the account. Jan |
#6
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
"Corné" wrote:
What is the question? Well, as I said: "Soooo, do any of you people out there know for sure if a Visa branded Cirrus-affiliated ATM card will work in one of the MasterCard Cirrus affiliated ATMs in South Africa (at places like Standard and ABSA banks, for instance)?" |
#7
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
"G.F." wrote:
Nice to tell the newsgroup such a long story, bur where is the question? Sorry about the length of the story, but there really was a question in there (perhaps too long to read before replying?). From your story I presume you would like to know if there are sufficient ATM al around South Africa. No, that wasn't the question. We visited SA beginning of 2004 and found more than sufficient ATM's all over the country. Certainly in all the major villages. That's nice, but still leaves my question unanswered. |
#8
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
Marc Lurie wrote:
It is my understanding that ALL Mastercard, Visa, and Cirrus cards will work in the vast majority of ATM's in South Africa. AFAIK, almost every ATM is branded with all three logos, and will almost certainly work. Even in the unlikely event that they don't work, you can still use your Visa or Mastercard to pay for almost everything in South Africa, and if you need cash, all it takes is a visit to a bank. Banks are open from 9am to 3:30pm every weekday, and 9am to 12:30pm on Saturdays, even in small towns. Just about the only thing you can't buy on a credit card in South Africa is petrol and diesel. If I were you, I'd bring a few hundred dollars in notes to change at a forex bureau when you need the cash, and use the credit cards for everything else. Thank you, Marc. (Again.) You not only found the question, but provided a very helpful response. |
#9
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
"Jan" wrote:
A small warning. During my trip this year to South Africa, all people in our group used the ATM at the airport of Johannesburg. One person had problems getting money. Someone locally was helping, but it looked like the ATM had eaten the ATM card. The next day, no card was in the machine, but twice the maximum amount of money was charged from the account. Thank you, Jan, We read about that particular scam in one of our guidebooks. The advice is to limit ATM use to those at banks that are open, and if the machine doesn't return the card to leave one person to watch the machine while the other goes inside to seek assistance. ATMs can be dangerous places everywhere, I suspect. Here, crooks were found to have added an entire front panel on some machines. They would then return later -- and remove it, along with all the information and money inside. Another variety of that was to add a card reader that captured the card number of each customer, plus the PIN. But the low-tech thugs simply bash people in the head and get the loot. Life is dangerous. |
#10
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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa
Okay, as I see it, the question is do our machines accept foreign debit
cards, Visa, as well as the credit cards, which they DO accept. And the answer is: I don't know. But since no-one else seems to know either, I'll try to find out in the morning. Catherine ==Not nuts, just a little eccentric== www.africanbush.co.za African Bush Tours and Safaris P O Box 232, Rouxville, 9958, South Africa Tel (+27) 051 663-0170 or Mobile (+27) 082 490-5485 "Caveat" wrote in message news Marc Lurie wrote: It is my understanding that ALL Mastercard, Visa, and Cirrus cards will work in the vast majority of ATM's in South Africa. AFAIK, almost every ATM is branded with all three logos, and will almost certainly work. Even in the unlikely event that they don't work, you can still use your Visa or Mastercard to pay for almost everything in South Africa, and if you need cash, all it takes is a visit to a bank. Banks are open from 9am to 3:30pm every weekday, and 9am to 12:30pm on Saturdays, even in small towns. Just about the only thing you can't buy on a credit card in South Africa is petrol and diesel. If I were you, I'd bring a few hundred dollars in notes to change at a forex bureau when you need the cash, and use the credit cards for everything else. Thank you, Marc. (Again.) You not only found the question, but provided a very helpful response. |
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