Mastercard ATM problems: Warning!

The ATM card issued by my bank (Charter One) is a Mastercard. I have
always used it as an ATM card in Europe with no problems. Last week I
was in Rome, Italy, and went to use it to get cash, and was told by
the ATM machine "Card not valid for international transactions." I
tried many different ATM machines, and kept getting the same type of
message. Fortunately, I had brought some travelers checks along, so I
cashed those.

I got back yesterday, and called my bank to ask if they had any idea
why I had problems. "Oh, yes" said the customer service rep. "We've
blocked the use of Mastercard in a number of countries!" Apparently,
due to fraud problems, the Mastercards can't be used in many
countries, including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Japan, China, and
a dozen others. In some countries the restriction was for PIN
applications only (like ATM machines), in other countries (incuding
all the ones I listed above) the cards couldn't be used for anything,
even as a credit card. It wasn't clear if this was a Charter One
policy, or a Mastercard policy; one rep said it was a general
Mastercard policy, another rep didn't know.

Therefo If you are planning a trip to Europe or Asia, and plan on
using a Mastercard ATM card (or any ATM card for that matter), call
your bank first, and confirm that you can use it. And have a backup
plan for getting cash, such as traveler checks or an alternate ATM
card.

Message to Charter One: Thanks for not bothering to let your customers
know about this policy!!!

Happy trails.
Dan

It's always a good idea to call your credit card and ATM card providers
before going on a trip. A change in use patterns might trigger an
anti-theft hold on your card, in which case you then have to call home and
get it unblocked. Some companies will only do this if you call from your
home phone, for security reasons. Obviously tough to do in the middle of
Provence or where ever!

"Dan K" wrote in message
om...
The ATM card issued by my bank (Charter One) is a Mastercard. I have
always used it as an ATM card in Europe with no problems. Last week I
was in Rome, Italy, and went to use it to get cash, and was told by
the ATM machine "Card not valid for international transactions." I
tried many different ATM machines, and kept getting the same type of
message. Fortunately, I had brought some travelers checks along, so I
cashed those.

I got back yesterday, and called my bank to ask if they had any idea
why I had problems. "Oh, yes" said the customer service rep. "We've
blocked the use of Mastercard in a number of countries!" Apparently,
due to fraud problems, the Mastercards can't be used in many
countries, including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Japan, China, and
a dozen others. In some countries the restriction was for PIN
applications only (like ATM machines), in other countries (incuding
all the ones I listed above) the cards couldn't be used for anything,
even as a credit card. It wasn't clear if this was a Charter One
policy, or a Mastercard policy; one rep said it was a general
Mastercard policy, another rep didn't know.

Therefo If you are planning a trip to Europe or Asia, and plan on
using a Mastercard ATM card (or any ATM card for that matter), call
your bank first, and confirm that you can use it. And have a backup
plan for getting cash, such as traveler checks or an alternate ATM
card.

Message to Charter One: Thanks for not bothering to let your customers
know about this policy!!!

Happy trails.
Dan

"Mark Fagan" wrote in
message
...
It's always a good idea to call your credit card
and ATM card providers
before going on a trip. A change in use
patterns might trigger an
anti-theft hold on your card, in which case you
then have to call home and
get it unblocked. Some companies will only do
this if you call from your
home phone, for security reasons. Obviously
tough to do in the middle of
Provence or where ever!



My card was blocked in Turkey. I was able to call
the 800 number on the back of the card, identify
myself, explain that it was "really me" in Turkey,
and get the block lifted. Much easier to d it
before leaving home, tho.

Tom

"Tom Bellhouse" wrote in message
...

"Mark Fagan" wrote in
message
...
It's always a good idea to call your credit card
and ATM card providers
before going on a trip. A change in use
patterns might trigger an
anti-theft hold on your card, in which case you
then have to call home and
get it unblocked. Some companies will only do
this if you call from your
home phone, for security reasons. Obviously
tough to do in the middle of
Provence or where ever!



My card was blocked in Turkey. I was able to call
the 800 number on the back of the card, identify
myself, explain that it was "really me" in Turkey,
and get the block lifted. Much easier to d it
before leaving home, tho.

Tom

Ditto what others are saying, I always call my credit/atm card companies
before an international trip to tell them where I will be using the card(s).
And they always say that it is a good idea to call.

On Sat, 15 May 2004, Stephen Ellenson wrote:

"Tom Bellhouse" wrote in message
...

"Mark Fagan" wrote in
message
...
It's always a good idea to call your credit card
and ATM card providers
before going on a trip. A change in use
patterns might trigger an
anti-theft hold on your card, in which case you
then have to call home and
get it unblocked. Some companies will only do
this if you call from your
home phone, for security reasons. Obviously
tough to do in the middle of
Provence or where ever!



My card was blocked in Turkey. I was able to call
the 800 number on the back of the card, identify
myself, explain that it was "really me" in Turkey,
and get the block lifted. Much easier to d it
before leaving home, tho.

Tom

Ditto what others are saying, I always call my credit/atm card companies
before an international trip to tell them where I will be using the card(s).
And they always say that it is a good idea to call.



I, too, always call and they always say that it is a good idea
to let them know, yet nowhere in their liturature or card
agreements do they ever mention it. One customer service
agent said "well, it's just common sense, isn't it?" From the
number of people I've asked if they ever call their credit
card companies before travel who have said , "no, why should I?"
I can argue that it isn't common sense. Good practice, nonetheless.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Katherine Becker "As god is my witness
I thought turkeys could fly"
NEVER SEND A FERRET TO DO A WEASEL's JOB --WKRP

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Tom Bellhouse wrote:
My card was blocked in Turkey. I was able to call
the 800 number on the back of the card, identify
myself, explain that it was "really me" in Turkey,
and get the block lifted. Much easier to d it
before leaving home, tho.

Since when do 800 numbers work in Turkey?
Maybe you mean Turkey, TX.

Madonna wrote:
Tom Bellhouse wrote:
My card was blocked in Turkey. I was able to call
the 800 number on the back of the card, identify
myself, explain that it was "really me" in Turkey,
and get the block lifted. Much easier to d it
before leaving home, tho.

Since when do 800 numbers work in Turkey?

Why wouldn't it? They work pretty much everywhere else in Europe.
Just dial 001 first.

miguel

Miguel Cruz wrote in message ...
Madonna wrote:
Tom Bellhouse wrote:
My card was blocked in Turkey. I was able to call
the 800 number on the back of the card, identify
myself, explain that it was "really me" in Turkey,
and get the block lifted. Much easier to d it
before leaving home, tho.

Since when do 800 numbers work in Turkey?

Why wouldn't it? They work pretty much everywhere else in Europe.
Just dial 001 first.

Turkey is an Asian country.

Miguel Cruz wrote:

Madonna wrote:
Since when do 800 numbers work in Turkey?

Why wouldn't it? They work pretty much everywhere else in Europe.
Just dial 001 first.

"800 numbers can only be used in the United States and Canada"
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20020513e.asp

Miguel Cruz wrote in message ...
Madonna wrote:

Tom Bellhouse wrote:

My card was blocked in Turkey. I was able to call
the 800 number on the back of the card, identify
myself, explain that it was "really me" in Turkey,
and get the block lifted. Much easier to d it
before leaving home, tho.

Since when do 800 numbers work in Turkey?

Why wouldn't it? They work pretty much everywhere else in Europe.
Just dial 001 first.

Some 800 numbers (national ones, anyway) can be called from overseas.
Only 00800 numbers are free. Certain 800 numbers only work from a
specific state or region, and would be ambiguous if called from
overseas, even on a paying basis.

Of course if you are a vonage.com subscriber, with access to the
Internet while traveling ...

I periodically get letters from AT&T Universal regarding overseas
purchases -- even from US military facilities. Also, cards that work
everywhere else sometimes don't work in France, apparently because
their chip + PIN system means that they lack the full redundancy of
other systems (apparently the data are recorded twice on the magnetic
strip of cards). This problem may be coming to a place near you as
chip + PIN expands, as it is to the UK now.