card/ATM incompatibilities, UK vs. Hungary & Romania

I had no problem using bank cards (mostly Visa Electron) in Hungary
last year. This year it was different. Very few banks in Budapest
had machines that accepted my card (this time I only used a Visa
Electron) and it was the same in Romania. At one bank I tried (a
branch of Volksbank) the staff could tell straight off that the card
wouldn't work just by looking at it, but they couldn't tell me what
the problem actually was. Fortunately every Diebold ATM seemed to
work, both in Hungary and Romania. I found these at branches of K&H
Bank in Budapest and CEC Bank in Csikszereda, Romania.

My bank manager in Edinburgh doesn't have a clue about this. It
was news to her that there was any problem, let alone what might
be causing it.

Anybody here know what's going on? Is there any way I can specify
a card that will be compatible with these newer ATMs overseas?

I'm with Abbey National, now part of Banco Santander. There's no
branch of that in Budapest so I couldn't ask for explanations there.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts
****** I killfile Google posts - email me if you want to be whitelisted ******

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
I had no problem using bank cards (mostly Visa Electron) in Hungary
last year. This year it was different. Very few banks in Budapest
had machines that accepted my card (this time I only used a Visa
Electron) and it was the same in Romania. At one bank I tried (a
branch of Volksbank) the staff could tell straight off that the card
wouldn't work just by looking at it, but they couldn't tell me what
the problem actually was. Fortunately every Diebold ATM seemed to
work, both in Hungary and Romania. I found these at branches of K&H
Bank in Budapest and CEC Bank in Csikszereda, Romania.

My bank manager in Edinburgh doesn't have a clue about this. It
was news to her that there was any problem, let alone what might
be causing it.

Anybody here know what's going on? Is there any way I can specify
a card that will be compatible with these newer ATMs overseas?

I'm with Abbey National, now part of Banco Santander. There's no
branch of that in Budapest so I couldn't ask for explanations there.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk
====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739
557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic
fonts
****** I killfile Google posts - email me if you want to be whitelisted
******

I've come across similar issues (although I've never had someone say "it
won't work" just by looking at a card). In one case (Japan) only a small
number of machines have connectivity to international networks - in banks
there will be specific machines for "foreign" cards but then you have to
find the right bank as well. Interestingly your other source in Japan is
7/11 stores and although I don't *know* I'm guessing that it has something
to do with the fact that 7/11 came from the USA and probably served US
servicemen stationed in Japan.

In a similar vein I proffered a card in Hong Kong early this year. The
machine called for my PIN which I entered. The waiter then insisted I sign
as well! In the USA I've learned to take out largish amounts because for
about 2 days after a transaction my bankcard seems to be blocked for cash
withdrawals - I'm guessing that's to do with cycle times of batch run
processes. But then I had absolutely no problems in Brazil and Argentina a
few years ago.

I believe that some countries use 5 number PINs (in the UK we use 4) and
that can be an issue occasionally.

I've simply learned to carry several cards (both cash and credit) from
several banks. In the end 1 seems to work!

I had no problem using bank cards (mostly Visa Electron) in Hungary
last year. This year it was different. Very few banks in Budapest
had machines that accepted my card (this time I only used a Visa
Electron) and it was the same in Romania. At one bank I tried (a
branch of Volksbank) the staff could tell straight off that the card
wouldn't work just by looking at it, but they couldn't tell me what
the problem actually was. Fortunately every Diebold ATM seemed to
work, both in Hungary and Romania. I found these at branches of K&H
Bank in Budapest and CEC Bank in Csikszereda, Romania.

My bank manager in Edinburgh doesn't have a clue about this. It
was news to her that there was any problem, let alone what might
be causing it.

I submitted a query at the website for the Hungarian part of Volksbank
this afternoon, not being very optimistic about ever hearing back.

Within a couple of hours I got a reply that included this:

: The mentioned problem was unfortunately a known issue to us that our
: technicians have been working to resolve. I can happily inform you
: that these type of cards are now accepted by all of the Hungarian
: Volksbank's ATMs and you are free to withdraw the amount you request
: using our terminals.

Good grief. A bank that actually listens. Well done, guys. (There
are Volksbank branches in most cities in Eastern Europe, so that's
the problem well and truly solved).

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === http://www.campin.me.uk ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts
****** I killfile Google posts - email me if you want to be whitelisted ******

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
I had no problem using bank cards (mostly Visa Electron) in Hungary
last year. This year it was different. Very few banks in Budapest
had machines that accepted my card (this time I only used a Visa
Electron)

When my customers have problems buying online, there is a fair chance the
card will be Visa Electron. I don't know why, but it has always seemed to
cause more problems than most. Solo was even worse, but that has largely
been phased out now. By far and away, the most popular and reliable card is
the ordinary Visa card. However, when travelling I carry Visa, Mastercard
and American Express, just in case. It doesn't have to be a problem with the
card that make one unusable. On one occasion, when I was in Florence, the
staff at a restaurant had not been trained in how to deal with a security
check and, as a result, my American Express card was suspended until I could
get to the local office and answer the security questions.

Colin Bignell

On Aug 20, 9:17*am, "nightjar" cpb@insert my surname here.me.uk
wrote:
"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in ...

I had no problem using bank cards (mostly Visa Electron) in Hungary
last year. *This year it was different. *Very few banks in Budapest
had machines that accepted my card (this time I only used a Visa
Electron)

When my customers have problems buying online, there is a fair chance the
card will be Visa Electron. I don't know why, but it has always seemed to
cause more problems than most. Solo was even worse, but that has largely
been phased out now. By far and away, the most popular and reliable card is
the ordinary Visa card. However, when travelling I carry Visa, Mastercard
and American Express, just in case. It doesn't have to be a problem with the
card that make one unusable. On one occasion, when I was in Florence, the
staff at a restaurant had not been trained in how to deal with a security
check and, as a result, my American Express card was suspended until I could
get to the local office and answer the security questions.

Colin Bignell

cash $'s are good

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:17:35 +0100, "nightjar" cpb@insert my surname
here.me.uk wrote:


"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...
I had no problem using bank cards (mostly Visa Electron) in Hungary
last year. This year it was different. Very few banks in Budapest
had machines that accepted my card (this time I only used a Visa
Electron)

When my customers have problems buying online, there is a fair chance the
card will be Visa Electron. I don't know why, but it has always seemed to
cause more problems than most. Solo was even worse, but that has largely
been phased out now. By far and away, the most popular and reliable card
is
the ordinary Visa card.

HSBC replaced their customers Visa Electron cards with Visa debit cards
earlier
this year.

However, when travelling I carry Visa, Mastercard

I carry a MasterCard and an ABN Amro World Pass/Maestro card.

and American Express, just in case. It doesn't have to be a problem with
the
card that make one unusable. On one occasion, when I was in Florence, the
staff at a restaurant had not been trained in how to deal with a security
check and, as a result, my American Express card was suspended until I
could
get to the local office and answer the security questions.

The number of outlets accepting AMEX cards is relatively limited. AMEX
mark up
is too high.
--

Martin


I suspect the problem wasn't related to Amex. I had a problem with both a
Visa and a Mastercard in New Zealand earlier this year. Now, as it
happened the fact that neither worked was my fault. When I asked the
retailer to phone the authorisation centre I was met by a blank look. The
young lady eventually called her supervisor who understood what I was asking
but had no idea what to do. Happily I was carrying a Visa debit card as
well and that worked. I then made calls back to the UK and found out what
the problem was. But, the point is, many people have a limited
understanding of the systems behind Amex, Visa etc and if the machine
doesn't say "yes" they assume "no". The fact that it might have said
"contact centre" is something they fail to understand.

Two other examples of what I consider to be part of the same problem (lack
of training) but with different impacts:

1) Entering my PIN to confirm a transaction and then having the retailer
insist on a signature as well.
2) A retailer who, when chip/PIN was introduced in the UK said "I'll only be
able to take chip/PIN cards after introduction date". Happily when I told
him about Chip/Signature cards and asked what he would do if a foreigner
produced a non chip card he had the sense to make further enquiries but he
said later he had had to push his payment provider to provide the correct
information.