My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Moorea. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
I had my Revolut Mastercard taken by a Banque de Tahiti ATM near the ferry port. Since it was late Friday, the branch didn’t open again until Monday. By then, they said the card had already been sent back to my issuing bank. I had to cancel and rely on my backup Monzo. Moorea doesn’t have many ATMs, so it left me short of cash for a couple of days. Always carry spare cards or some euros/CFP francs to avoid stress if this happens.
My Wise Visa was swallowed at a Banque Socredo ATM in Maharepa. I went to the branch the next morning with my passport, and they returned it after checking my details. Staff were friendly and explained that ATMs sometimes keep foreign cards when the chip reader fails. It was sorted in less than an hour. If you’re staying in Moorea, be sure to use ATMs near bank branches, not hotel standalone machines, so you can get quick help if something goes wrong.
In Moorea, most ATMs are operated by Banque de Tahiti, Banque Socredo, and Banque de Polynésie. If your card is taken, the only way to retrieve it is by visiting the bank branch during working hours with your passport. Standalone ATMs are emptied daily, and foreign cards may be destroyed quickly for security. Call the hotline on the machine as soon as it happens, and also freeze your card in your banking app until you know if it will be released.
Yes, it happened to me outside my hotel in Temae, Moorea, at a Banque de Tahiti ATM. The card was swallowed, and the bank staff in Maharepa told me they destroy foreign cards for security. The only option was to cancel mine and switch to a backup. In Moorea and Tahiti, always bring at least two cards, as ATMs can be unpredictable. If possible, withdraw cash at the airport in Papeete before heading to Moorea. Many small pensions, dive shops, and snack bars on the island still prefer CFP cash.