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  • 1 Post By hkuk01

ATM Problems

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Posts
    19

    ATM Problems

    So have been using my Citi ATM card for my account in HK to withdraw in the UK for the last year or so on and off, and keep running into a very, very annoying issue.

    3 times now I have used (different) ATM's in the UK to withdraw the currency equivalent of 600hkd, only to find the UK ATM go through the whole thing and then say 'We cannot process your transaction', and then spits out no money. Only to get a notification from Citi within seconds that the withdrawal took place, debits my balance and it literally gave out no money.

    What makes it even stranger is that 5 minutes later I try again and the withdrawal happens without issue. About 3 out of 30 withdrawals have now caused me this problem. The 1st one back in March got re-credited back to my bank account 4 months later. So I am getting it back, but why? Anyone have any idea.

    I know I can get the ATM number, call up Citi and dispute it etc etc. But the credit does seem to work its way back eventually but I am now thinking its getting a bit odd. Today was the 2nd or 3rd time this happened. 5 minutes later withdrawal goes through fine.

    Putting the card in the wall, 'hoping' to get the money and not getting my bank account debited for a phantom withdrawal is not something I want to keep happening.

    Finding it weird now.


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    θ–„ζ‰Άζž—
    Posts
    47,965

    Are these ATM attached to a bank or standalone ATMs?

    There is some evidence in the US that some standalone ATMs are being used to capture pin numbers - i.e. might be fake or have been tinkered with (not sure how this works).


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    The World
    Posts
    1,948

    Why not open a UK bank account?


  4. #4

    If I were you, I would try for $100. at 3 different ATMS and VIDEO THE WHOLE PROCESS starting from when you start putting the card in and when you remove the card and take video of the whole screen and showing no money coming out.

    Then send them the video ! And to avoid being told you got the money.


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Posts
    19

    And now the mystery is solved. Just to update, every ATM that did not spit out the money since my last post got refunded back to my Citi account within a few days, aside one. I started looking at the time stamps for some of these withdrawals and it seems they fit a pattern. Anything 'around' 7pm HK Time, get this issue. Withdrawals at other times of the day all fine. But every failure has been between 6.55pm - 7.05pm HK Time. These are solid ATM's in bank walls etc and the money always come back. Obviously the answer is not to do withdrawals at this time, but still makes little sense unless some kind of update/connection issue occurs daily. I tested the theory yesterday, I put in my Citi card and withdrew equivalent of about $100 at 7pm. Same issue, went through the whole process, but straight after the conversion screen to pound it says computer says no. Put my ZA Card in within seconds and money came straight out. Waited 30 mins tried Citi again and money came out. Crazy stuff. It would seem as though some goes on with the Citi link, conversion process around this time of the day.

    shri likes this.