My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Cook Islands. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
This happened to me while travelling in Rarotonga - my Revolut Visa got swallowed at an ANZ ATM near the airport. I immediately called the number on the ATM, and they told me to visit the branch in Avarua the next morning. Staff checked their records and confirmed my card was in the machine, so they returned it after verifying my passport. I was relieved, but it made me realise how important backup cash is in small islands like the Cooks.
When my Wise Visa was taken by a BSP ATM in Rarotonga, the branch was closed for a long weekend. By the time I returned, they had already destroyed the card. I had no choice but to cancel it and rely on cash and my backup card. With so few banks in the Cook Islands, the process isn’t flexible. My advice: always withdraw during weekday hours, and never rely on a single card here. Bring spare cards or carry NZD in cash.
I had my Monzo Mastercard swallowed by an ANZ ATM in Avarua. I went into the branch the next morning with my passport, and the staff returned it in about 15 minutes. They said the machine sometimes captures foreign cards for “safety.” Since there are only a handful of ATMs on the island, the staff were used to this problem. They were friendly and professional, and I was lucky to get my card back quickly.
Yes, it happened to me in Avarua, Rarotonga, at a Bank of South Pacific (BSP) ATM. The machine simply froze and didn’t return the card. I went to the BSP branch the next morning with my passport, and they confirmed they would cut the card for security. Sadly, in the Cook Islands, ATMs don’t usually give the card back. The only solution is to cancel it with your home bank and use a backup card.