My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Iceland. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
I wasn’t so lucky in Akureyri. My Wise Mastercard was swallowed at an Íslandsbanki ATM late on Friday evening. By the time I reached the branch on Monday, they had already destroyed it for security reasons. I had to cancel it through the Wise app and switch to my backup Revolut card. Iceland is mostly cashless, so I survived on cards, but it was stressful. My advice: always withdraw during bank hours, especially outside Reykjavik, or you risk losing the card permanently.
This happened to me in Reykjavik at a Landsbankinn ATM. I went into the branch the next morning with my passport and they returned my Monzo Visa on the spot. Staff said it happens now and then when foreign cards get flagged for security. It only delayed me half an hour, and I was glad I didn’t need to cancel. If it had been an Arion Bank ATM, the process would have been the same. Iceland’s banking staff were really helpful and spoke excellent English.
If your card is taken in Iceland, the main ATM operators are Arion Banki, Íslandsbanki, and Landsbankinn. Go straight into the branch that owns the ATM with your passport, as staff can usually retrieve the card during business hours. If it’s outside opening times, call the customer service number listed on the ATM. Cards not collected within a few days are usually destroyed. Always freeze your card through your app until you know whether you can get it back.
Yes, I lost mine in Reykjavík near Laugavegur Street, at an Arion Bank ATM. The machine kept the card without giving a reason. In Iceland, banks usually destroy swallowed cards for security, so don’t expect to get it back. Cancel it with your home bank and use a backup. Luckily, Iceland is almost completely cashless - you can use cards or even Apple Pay everywhere from the airport to remote gas stations.