My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Angola. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
My card was eaten by a Banco BIC ATM near my guesthouse in Luanda Sul. I contacted the bank and they said retrieval wasn’t guaranteed unless I had used a BIC-issued card. Thankfully, I had a backup Mastercard. ATM card retention in Angola is not rare, and your chances of getting the card back depend entirely on the bank and whether the machine is inside a branch. Always keep two cards, use bank-attached machines during business hours, and take photos of the ATM location and screen if something goes wrong - it helps when reporting.
Lost my card in Huambo at a Banco Keve ATM - just got swallowed and nothing happened. Locals said it’s common. The next day I visited the bank, but they claimed the technician wouldn’t come for two more days. I had no choice but to cancel the card and rely on cash. ATMs in Angola can be unreliable, especially standalone ones. Use only in daylight and near bank branches. After that, I kept my backup Visa and a stash of USD. Honestly, it’s best to never withdraw at night or outside malls.
This happened to me at a BFA ATM near my co-working spot in Talatona. The machine froze mid-transaction and retained the card. The staff were helpful but told me it would take 48 hours to process. Card retrieval from Angolan ATMs is possible but only if the ATM belongs to a staffed bank. Note the exact time, machine ID, and bring ID with you. I also reported it to my home bank and froze the card as a precaution. After that incident, I only used ATMs inside banks and during business hours - much safer.
Yes, my Revolut card got swallowed by a Banco Sol ATM near Largo da Independência in Luanda. No error, just silence. I went into the branch first thing the next morning with my passport. They confirmed the ATM logs matched and returned the card after I signed a few documents. If your card is retained by an ATM in Angola, visit the branch immediately - especially if it's a branded machine. If it’s a hotel or supermarket ATM, chances are slimmer. Always carry a backup card, and freeze the lost one immediately if you can't retrieve it within 24 hours.