ATM Problems
Posted: 10 January 2012 02:46 PM  
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Hi,
This is my first post on this site, unfortunately it is not a happy story.
In September 2010 I was in Matalascanas on a golf holiday and used a Cajasol ATM which I had used many times before.
The result was a cancelled transaction note and no cash came out, thinking it was a card problem I tried another card with the same result.  On checking my Bank online I found the cash had been debited,  I challenged this with both banks an the money was returned to my account with the proviso that if it was found that I had been issued the cash it would be taken form my account after 45 Days.  One bank took the money after a month and I had to go via the Ombudsman to get it back 15 months later.
We now spend the winter here in Spain.  This year I tried to withdraw cash from another Cajasol ATM close to us having seen other people use it , the first few times I used it without problem but on the 6th Jan 2012 I had another transaction cancelled note and no cash, but once again the money left my account.
This seems to me to be too much of a coincidence, as an ex system programmer I began to think there must be a system fault or I have been the subject of an internal fraud in one of the players in the chain of the transaction.
If anyone has had a similar experience with this bank or any other bank using Euro6000 ATM’s could you post here or leave a private message for me.
Thank you

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Posted: 11 January 2012 03:45 AM   [ # 1 ]  
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Hi Bob, Does sound fishy.

I had to challenge my bank (Unicaja in Mijas Pueblo) some years back as it dispensed a receipt but no cash!
I went in the next day (or on the Mon as I think it was a w/e). They said they would check the machine etc.. but I don’t think I got my
money back? - It was a long time ago tho…

Sadly the Ombudsman does not always work.
But glad it did for you…

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Posted: 11 January 2012 06:17 AM   [ # 2 ]  
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that is fishy ... thought banks are alwas right (YA RIGHT ) i try to stay with the main ATMS like BBVA r La Caixa , love to know more about this please
had Uk Mastercard that wont work in ATM down here befor , so was stuck to banking hours and didnt like have cash on me , bank told was spanish problem and go away ... that was about 8 years ago , and 10 day befor went on holidays i clear the bal on the account and over payed by 250 pounds , only good think was spend very little ...
please more on this ... think this going on allover place with non spanish cards r banks doing this to get money out off us , have reported this to EU bank reglator aswell

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Posted: 11 January 2012 12:23 PM   [ # 3 ]  
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I have notified my UK bank of the problem but I have been to Cajasol and am waiting for their reply. If it is negative I will start the procedure with my own bank, a signed statement plus copies of my account statement and the ATM slip.  In the judgement from the UK Ombudsman last time was a statement that the legal onus of proof lies with the bank and the card issuer.  If it happens to you and the Bank will not pay out and your bank is a UK bank then that is something you can quote, if they still refuse to pay out then call in the ombudsman.
Always keep your ATM slips until the transaction clears!!

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Posted: 11 January 2012 02:26 PM   [ # 4 ]  
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Bob, You have jogged my memory of my incident I mention..
I acutally didn’t have a Spanish account at the time (having just moved here), so used my First Direct/Maestro in the Unicaja ATM I mention.  As the bank here would do nothing about it, I took it up with First Direct.  They wrote on my behalf to Unicaja (no charges to me at all in any of the process), eventually when Unicaja had not replied by 30 days, First Direct took me at my word and refunded the missing money!  (I have also had a recent dispute with Pay Pal/Ebay where the seller would not refund my postage costs when they were partly at fault for sending me the wrong item.  Visa told me I have little/limited protection (after all their advertising!) with PPal as they are a 3rd party and I have handed over my Visa protection rights to them… But, good old First Direct, refunded the whole transaction costs - without me asking! - and I ended up IN pocket. How about that!)  (Must say though OH’s daughter went overdrawn with First Direct and they just kept piling the charges on and she never got out of debt.  So I guess if you stay in the black you are ok. If not then beware!)

Grrrr to Unicaja/other banks who will not hold their hand up!

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Posted: 11 January 2012 02:26 PM   [ # 5 ]  
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PS - Being the stickler I am , I had kept all print outs/receipts 😉

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Posted: 13 January 2012 03:24 PM   [ # 6 ]  
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Agreed with the receipts! Here?s a different story, but still on the topic of ATMs and Spanish banks…

I have a Santander, and in the beginning, I didn?t know withdrawing from non-Telebanco ATMs like ServiRed would mean fees, so when I got to that screen saying would you like to go ahead and we?ll charge you something like 3?, I cancelled and didn?t take any money to avoid the fee and went off to look for a Telebanco. The bank still charged me and took me 3 months to get the fees back!!! My bank then told me if it weren?t for the receipts, they wouldn?t refund anything.  The duffer I was, I did that twice. What was that saying? Do it once, shame on you, do it twice, shame on me!

Lesson learned - use the right ATM in the first place to avoid problems (where possible… I know it?s a pain) and always keep receipts til the end of the month. The little miss prudence I am, I keep it for 2 months.

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