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Second question from newbie: ATM usage in South Africa



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 24th, 2005, 09:42 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 08:08 AM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 12:10 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 12:59 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 03:17 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 03:44 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 03:48 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 03:51 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 04:05 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old November 25th, 2005, 06:36 PM posted to rec.travel.africa
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Posts: n/a
Default 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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