ATM's

I reported earlier that Citibank charged no foreign currency transaction fee for an ATM withdrawal so long as you were using one of their ATMs. That was true until early February when they started to charge a 2% fee. So I switched to my credit union VISA debit card which is charging me 1%. I'll be looking into some way to avoid this charge altogether.

Bob

I made two withdrawals with my electric orange ATM card from ingdirect, an online bank. No fee charged at all.

[QUOTE=Knob and Tube]I made two withdrawals with my electric orange ATM card from ingdirect, an online bank. No fee charged at all.[/QUOTE]Do you base that on what was printed by the ATM or have you looked at your statement online? In my experience the slips of paper printed by the ATMs contain very little information. When I am charged a foreign currency transaction fee it NEVER shows up on the transaction record printed by the ATM. And it may not show up on my online statement until a day or so later.

Bob

I checked online. Both withdrawals were made from Banco Santander here in BA. First one was on Feb. 18 and second on 27th. Still no transaction fee. However using my Washington Mutual card, I got charged 1% and it showed up online the same day as the withdrawal.

Hi,

I just came across this bank (PNC - [url]www.pnc.com[/url]) that does not charge any ATM fees anywhere in the world if you open a checking account with them. Any ATM fees charged to your account will be reimbursed back on the spot. I haven't had a chance to open a checking account with them yet. If anyone has experience with this bank, please let us know.

Thanks

Today I tried to get $1200 pesos from two ATM's using my US issued HSBC MasterCard debit card and could not get more than $300 pesos out.

The banks were an HSBC and a Banco Galicia. I had not had this problem for the past year at the bank branches.

Has anyone else had a similar problem?

Does it look like the banks reviving this stupid practice?

[QUOTE=Ricardo]Today I tried to get $1200 pesos from two ATM's using my US issued HSBC MasterCard debit card and could not get more than $300 pesos out.

The banks were an HSBC and a Banco Galicia. I had not had this problem for the past year at the bank branches.

Has anyone else had a similar problem?

Does it look like the banks reviving this stupid practice?[/QUOTE]I have a First Republic Bank card. I can't get more than 300 Pesos in any one transaction but I can do multiple transactions, probably up to $500 total. Maybe your card works the same way.

[QUOTE=Ricardo]Today I tried to get $1200 pesos from two ATM's using my US issued HSBC MasterCard debit card and could not get more than $300 pesos out.

The banks were an HSBC and a Banco Galicia. I had not had this problem for the past year at the bank branches.

Has anyone else had a similar problem?

Does it look like the banks reviving this stupid practice?[/QUOTE]This is now standard practice by Banelco and other ATM providers. They force customers to do multiple withdrawls of 300 pesos each and, I assume, charge fees for each transaction. This is called ripping off tourists in Argentina. The only protection you have is to use bank cards from banks like E*trade that do not charge fees for ATM withdrawls in the entire world.

[QUOTE=Facundo]This is now standard practice by Banelco and other ATM providers. They force customers to do multiple withdrawls of 300 pesos each and, I assume, charge fees for each transaction. This is called ripping off tourists in Argentina. The only protection you have is to use bank cards from banks like E*trade that do not charge fees for ATM withdrawls in the entire world.[/QUOTE]I don't know for US people but for Euro Zone HSBC Visa Card Holders there is no charge for the withdrawal in the banelcos. But it is 300 pesos by 300pesos. It is only a little waste of time.

Just happened to me this morning - 300 peso limit. Usually I pull 1500 to 2000 once a week.

On the phone right now with HSBC in USA to try and figure this out. Don't know if it is Banelco issue or HSBC issue.

I will update.

When I got to Argentina in January, I was pissed I could only take out 300p with my commerce bankcard at a shot. I asked someone at HSBC why. She said that Visa was limiting the amount in all of Argentina to 300p. I then pulled out my Citibank card, which is a MasterCard, and I got 1500p out. Don't know why MasterCard bank cards does not work, it's possible that they are following visa? I will try Citibank, with a Citi card, see if I can get out 1500p, next time I need money.

Anyone know if its just HSBC or is it everywhere?

Girl in USA HSBC just told me that 3 or 4 other customers have called them on this (all from Argentina) She also pointed out that I may be allowed to do several transactions @ 300 each. She said another customer had done this today. I am off to the bank to find out.

She said they are looking into it. Probably a Banelco issue.

Their number is 800-462-1874. It is section for card security and she advised no other departments would have info on this.

[QUOTE=Thomaso276] Also pointed out that I may be allowed to do several transactions @ 300 each. She said another customer had done this today. I am off to the bank to find out.

She said they are looking into it. Probably a Banelco issue. [/QUOTE]If it's the same as visa, you can take out same amounts as before, but just have to keep taking out 300p until you hit 1500 or 2000p. It's a pain in the ass, but that what I do, with the commerce card. Commerce bank absorbs the ATMs fee, so I do not have to pay 5 transaction fees. Someone is making 5 or 6 trans.

Commerce bank pays the ATM fee for me, but someone is making 5 or 6 ATM fees, instead of one. It is a ripe off. But I don't pay it, my bank does. Someone is ripe off good money from this stupid rule.

Just back from HSBC. I made two more 300 peso pulls (total today of three) so it looks like I could go up to 1500 - 2000 with multiple pulls. I will look at my statement tommorrow to see if there are fees - there never were fees before for each pull. If so, anyone know who gets the fee - the branch here or the branch where the account is?

Meanwhile I urge everyone to call HSBC.

While at the bank a couple of American tourists were having the same problem and the bank rep said to make several pulls to get to their 1000 peso request. She played dumb when I asked her if this was an HSBC Arg. Rule or a Banelco (they run the ATM on contrract with the banks) rule and if it was Banelco why the bank agreed to it. Typical Argie response of I do not know.

I told the guy to call HSBC and complain.