Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
Member Is Offline
Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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What to do if your bank card wont work in Baja
People don't realize that this is a vary common occurrence here in Mexico. in fact about 20 % of our card customers have the problem with there card
not working. the problem is after you are in Mexico and use your card once or twice some card company's put a automatic hold on your card to be sure
it hasn't been stolen. the solution to this is to call the 24 hour 800 number on the back of the card and answer your secret question and tell them
that your card is not stolen and you need to remove the hold for the rest of your trip. by the time you git bask to where you need to use your card it
will work fine. we go through this several times a day .the other thing you can do to avoid this is to call that same number before you leave and tell
them that you are going to be in Mexico and to expect charges.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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Bruce, excellent advice. This should be the procedure for any time you are traveling to another country. The same thing happend to us when we went
to Vancouver last year. We had to call the company to tell them we were on vacation and have them reactivate our card.
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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MIKEMCCARTY
Newbie
Posts: 21
Registered: 5-20-2004
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MACHINE ATE IT!
It was friday afternoon in San felipe, going out to supper, running low on cash. We stopped at the AM PM in middle of town. They have one of the only
atm machines in town. Put my card in the machine answered some questions. The next thing I know, I am asking the guy behind the counter what the
machine is telling me. He said you will have to pick up your card monday morning."SAY WHAT". I will be back home monday. oh well. thank god for
credit!
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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I don't use the AM/PM ATM machine as it won't let you withdraw more that 3,000 pesos. There are probably 5 more ATM's in town including one at the
Bancomer, and one at the Seven leven gas station. Also, El Dorado ranch. Sorry about your experience.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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yankeeirishman
Banned
Posts: 1070
Registered: 3-5-2004
Location: Kalifornia
Member Is Offline
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always carry cash
I always carry a hidden little bundle of cash, in case of this credit card gets lost or wont op. Problem is...my hidden catch was in my tackle box
that stolen off the car's rack in my driveway!
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lizard lips
Super Nomad
Posts: 1468
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: EARTH
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I use my bank card all over Mexico and South America but have had the problem of the machine eating my card on several occasions and not giving it
back to me. What I try and do is use the card at a bank which is open at the time so if this happens you can at least talk to someone about it! Now
you can get 4000 pesos at several machines.
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Tio Rocky
Nomad
Posts: 176
Registered: 6-30-2004
Location: La Paz
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Card Services
Most Machines in Ensenada allow 5000 pesos per day?
This happened to me in La Paz? The main problem I had getting it reactivated is I could NOT call a US 800 number from La Paz? it took me two days to
get a non 800 number. Make sure you have a direct number before leaving.
I also read on another forum here that someone had this happen to them even thou they had stopped by the ?Bank? prior to their trip and notified them
of the trip. People at the bank don?t have a clue and have nothing to do with ATM or Credit Cards? All they really achieved was telling another person
their house would be empty for the next week.
You MUST contact your Card Services Department, not the Bank. And as Bruce stated, that number is on your card.
Tio Rocky
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Packoderm
Super Nomad
Posts: 2116
Registered: 11-7-2002
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" I always carry a hidden little bundle of cash, in case of this credit card gets lost or wont op. Problem is...my hidden catch was in my tackle box
that stolen off the car's rack in my driveway!"
It's good to spread it around - a bill in one shoe, one in the other, a bill or two in your dirtiest clothes bag (nobody wants to snoop around there),
etc. Just don't lose track of it all!
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Worldtraveller
Junior Nomad
Posts: 65
Registered: 11-26-2004
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I had an instance in Mexico where the bank machine shorted me by issuing fewer pesos than indicated. I suspect the ATM ran out of cash over a holiday
weekend.
The Mexican bank told me to get my card-issuing US bank to issue me a credit. The US bank told me to get the Mexican bank to issue the refund.
Neither seemed to think that I was scamming them, but still neither was willing to solve the problem. Eventually, the hassle factor became greater
than the money involved, so I gave up.
I now do not use ATMs in Mexico over holidays unless I first observe someone else making a successful withdrawal.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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| Quote: |
I now do not use ATMs in Mexico over holidays unless I first observe someone else making a successful withdrawal.
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and possibly leaving 2 bills inside the machine for the next customer....
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Oso
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2637
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: on da border
Member Is Offline
Mood: wait and see
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I'm embarrassed to admit this, but not too long ago I dealt with an unfamiliar machine in SLRC and put the card in the wrong slot whereupon it fell
somewhere into the bowels of the machine. Luckily the bank was still open on a Friday. Unluckily, the manager explained they couldn't open up the
machine until Monday and wasn't sure they'd be able to reach the card even then. Luckily, my wife's card had the same PIN for our joint acct. So as
not to have to come back, the manager agreed to cut up the card if they found it. I feel much better about the newer machines where you stick it in
and pull it out without letting go of it.
 I may have Alzheimer's but at least I don't have Alzheimer's.
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