My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Libya. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
Best advice: don’t rely on ATMs in Libya if you’re using a foreign card. Even in Tripoli, machines often reject or keep them. Always bring USD or euros, as that’s what hotels and drivers prefer. If your card gets eaten, report it but assume it’s gone. Carry at least two different cards and lots of cash. Libya isn’t set up for smooth foreign banking.
I had my Revolut swallowed in Benghazi by a Jumhouria Bank ATM. Staff told me immediately it was destroyed because foreign cards can’t be processed. No way to get it back. Libya is very cash-based due to sanctions and unstable systems. I had to rely entirely on USD and euros I carried in. Honestly, don’t expect your card back here at all.
A colleague had their Wise card eaten by a Sahara Bank ATM in Tripoli near the Radisson Blu. They went the next day, and surprisingly, staff retrieved it after ID verification. They said it doesn’t always happen, but at big branches in Tripoli it’s possible. Still, it’s rare. If you’re in the capital and near Sahara or Jumhouria main offices, you might get lucky.
Libya’s banking system is fragile, and ATMs are unreliable. Machines are mostly run by Jumhouria Bank, Sahara Bank, and National Commercial Bank. If your card is swallowed, you need to go to the branch right away with ID. In many cases, foreign cards are destroyed immediately, since Libya’s ATM system is geared toward local debit cards. You’ll likely need to cancel it and use cash.