My ATM was captured by the machine.

Philippines
February 17, 2013 9:10am CST
This morning, after we went to church, I decided to pass by the ATM machine to withdraw my salary. Unfortunately, the said machine does not release a specific bill so I decided to cancel my transaction. Waiting for my card to eject, I noticed that it doesn't continue to get out of the card slit and keeps on returning inside the machine. After several times of trying to get my card, it was totally captured by the machine. I stayed and tried to wait someone to used the machine hoping that my card will be ejected once they used it. Still, I didn't get my card out. I trying to call any guard on duty on the said bank to ask help sinc the main bak is closed (weekends). Unfortunately, I cannot see any sign that there is guard inside the bank which make me really pissed. Take note, NO GUARD on the bank! I just went home and immediately transferred my fund to my wife's acount for the fear that someone might get my card and used it. I will just go to the bank tomorrow to get my card. How about you mylotters, have you experienced capturing your card too? What did you do to get it back to you?
3 people like this
11 responses
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
18 Feb 13
When I was eighteen years old I was too vain to wear my glasses. I was confused by the machines arrows. I couldn't see what I was doing. The machine captured my debit card. I was really upset and worried. I went inside the bank and asked what I could do. They sent me a new card in the post. I got contact lenses at twenty one years old. On my travels using foreign ATM machines can be confusing. In Cape Town I asked an ATM machine for 200 rands. All I got was an advise slip and no money. In that shop I asked an assistant to help me. Kindly he took me to the bank and although it closed it let me in. They phoned my bank in England and they thought it had been fraud. They confirmed it was really me. I was able to get the 200 rand to pay my accommodation. The next day off I went along to the Garden Route. One time my dog chewed up my debit card. I went to the bank with some identification. They let me have some money and ordered me a new debit card. I used the money before my new debit card arrived.
• Philippines
21 Feb 13
Good thing that there are some that assists you when that happened to you. In my case, there are no gurads around even the bank is closed. I did have someone to ask what to do and how do I get my card back. That one really pissed me.
@edvc77 (2140)
• Philippines
18 Feb 13
Machines are not perfect just like computers and any other machines. They might be over used too so it runs out of system.
• Philippines
21 Feb 13
I agree with you. I just hope that they keep maintenance on their machines. I am not the only one who suffered that faith. When I get my card, there are also others claiming their ATM cards.
@joliefille (3690)
• Philippines
18 Feb 13
Yikes! If I were in that position I would freak out. I haven't experienced having my card captured though. Good thing you quickly thought of transferring the funds to your wife's account to avoid any theft.
• Philippines
19 Feb 13
I just hold my temper. I was about to freak out because there are no guards in the vicinity to report my concern. I was only relived when the machine became unavailable after few withdrawals of others and decided to transfer my balance to my wife's account since we only had the same bank.
@pahak627 (4558)
• Philippines
18 Feb 13
That's a wise decision. If I were in your shoes I would also do what you did.
• Philippines
19 Feb 13
that is one option to avoid theft in case my card was got by somebody. good thing that our house is just minutes away fromt he said bank and we got internet connection at home.
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
18 Feb 13
Thank goodness I have never experienced this. And good for you that you have an online banking facility to transfer your funds to a safer account. We can never tell if someone else get ahold of your ATM card and used it to drain all of the money there. You can also try contacting the bank's call center, I believe they are always operating even on weekends just to file a report and have your card blocked just for some added security measure.
• Philippines
19 Feb 13
That is one of an advantage of having an online account of your bank account. I want to contact the bank but they only give landline numbers. I found no payphone in the vicinity. I was only relieved when others that use the account does not get my card. Furthermore, the machine became unavailable after few minutes because there are no money in the machine already.
• United States
18 Feb 13
I had that happen once. I put my atm card in the machine and got money out. When the machine went to give my card back, it got stuck. The machine eventually sucked it back in. The bank was already closed so I went the next day and they got it out of the machine for me. Apparently, my card was bent in the middle just enough to get caught on the lip of the card slot which caused it to get stuck. Even though my atm card was kept in my wallet, I put my wallet in my back pocket and it would bend whenever I sat down. I did get my card back but needed a new one because it would just get stuck again. I am sure your issue will work out, but you are smart to transfer your funds to your wife's account, just to be on the safe side. Good luck!
• Philippines
19 Feb 13
Just like yours, I noticed when I get my card that is was a bit dent on the side that will come out first making it stuck on the slit. Like you, I placed it in my wallet and put it on my pant's back pocket making it dent. In other machine, my card works well. I noticed too that the slit of the machine is not that straight, meaning your card might really get stuck. Yesterday, when I got my card, there are many people claiming tehir cards too. Their card was also captured the same day as mine.
@iuliuxd (4453)
• Romania
17 Feb 13
The love for money is the root of all evil. Maybe your guardian angel saved you.
• Philippines
17 Feb 13
I am not worried now because I get all my money in the card thru online banking. I will just go back to that branch on baking hours not only to get my card but to complain that there are no one to assist me during that time.
@cttolledo (5460)
• Legaspi, Philippines
17 Feb 13
yes. I'd experience that also.But in my case it was not my atm card, it was my father's atm card that I'm using that time to withdraw for my tuition fees. The worst scenario to me I wasn't able to withdraw at the same time the bank did not allow me to claim the captured atm since it was not named after me, I took 1 week to claim it since I have to wait for the authorization from my father allowing me to claim the atm due to his absence. That's why be careful mylotters!
• Philippines
18 Feb 13
One good thing is that is was under my name. I just go back to the branch today and hopefully I can get it back again.
@sishy7 (27169)
• Australia
17 Feb 13
Yes, it happened to me some years back. I was using a drive thru ATM and I forgot to take my card at the end of transaction. When I realized a few minutes later while driving, i turned back to the ATM but did not see my card. I used the phone outside the ATM provided by the bank to contact them in case of problems with ATM transactions. The customer service who answered the phone told me that the machine automatically 'swallowed' back the card if it was not taken after few seconds so whoever was using next will not be able to take it. Still, I cancelled the card in case it was found by someone. I even cancelled the account, opened a new one and arranged for the balance to be transferred from the cancelled account to the new one.
• Philippines
18 Feb 13
I cannot cancel my account because it was the one I used in my salary. If I am going to cancel that, it will make a lot of disturbance to me. I just try to go back to the branch since the ATM machine is right at the bank. Maybe I can retrieve it again.
1 person likes this
@ARIES1973 (11426)
• Legaspi, Philippines
18 Feb 13
It's good thing that you can do online banking. If that would happen to me right now, I think I will just have to wait for a banking day because at present my online account was blocked because of changes in the password which confused me. I already tried to report the matter to the bank but I don't think they know about online transactions too. They told me that the account was okay already but when I tried it, still I cannot access my account. I am planning to deactivate my online account and reapply for a new one but I just don't have time as of now. The worst thing that happened to me with regards to my atm account was when the amount was debited but the cash was not dispense. So I have to report the same to the bank which was acted upon immediately. Have a nice day!
• Philippines
18 Feb 13
Yes, that is one of the advantage of having an online access. You can pay bills, transfer funds and many more. I think you just need to read some help regarding your online account. Some of my online accounts too got blocked and I just keep on requesting to re open the said account again. Update: I already got my ATM back.
@Angelpink (4035)
• Philippines
17 Feb 13
Hello there ! That is also my fear especially during weekends when the bank is close . Good that it didn't happen to me yet and please not but i find it very horrible news , a bank no guard left ? Oh my banks should left 1 or 2 guards around the bank vicinity and why no guard ? It's really a sad thing for it fell in the day where bank was closed. You can't report immediately and you have to wait for the business day. This prolongs your worry. I guess if cards are captured , it won't be ejected anymore unless done by bank officer himself. For now , don't worry card was safe and you can have it following day.
• Philippines
18 Feb 13
That what makes me really pissed. That there are no guards there not to help me get back my card but to report and get advice on what to do next especially that it was weekends. I keep on calling and knocking the door but I get no response and there is no sign that somebody is inside.