My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Kiribati. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
Tip: always withdraw money during ANZ branch hours in Tarawa, so if your card gets taken, you can ask immediately. Outside of Bairiki, don’t expect much help. ATMs are scarce and cash is king here. I’d suggest carrying Australian dollars and exchanging them locally. Don’t risk depending on just one debit card - travel with backups.
I wasn’t so lucky. My Wise card was swallowed by an ANZ ATM in Betio late afternoon. By the time I asked at the branch, they said the card had already been destroyed. Had to cancel it and live off the cash I brought. Kiribati has very few working ATMs, and everything is cash-based anyway, so don’t rely on one card. Bring plenty of AUD or USD before you arrive.
This happened to me in South Tarawa. My Monzo card got stuck in the ANZ ATM outside the Otintaai Hotel. I went to the ANZ Bairiki branch the next day, and they gave it back after checking my passport. Took about an hour. The staff were kind and said it’s common with foreign chip cards. Since ATMs are so few, always use them near the main branch.
ATMs in Kiribati are very limited, mostly run by ANZ in Tarawa. If your card is swallowed, you need to go directly to the ANZ branch in Bairiki with your passport. They usually destroy foreign cards quickly for security, but sometimes return them if you ask the next business day. Always call the number on the ATM if it shows one, and freeze your card immediately until you confirm.