My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Portugal. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
I had my Monzo Mastercard swallowed by a Millennium BCP ATM in Porto on a Saturday night. When I went to the branch Monday morning, they told me the card had already been destroyed for security reasons. I had no choice but to cancel it and use my Wise backup. Since Portugal is mostly card-friendly, it wasn’t disastrous, but it was inconvenient. My tip: only use ATMs during business hours and preferably those inside or next to bank branches, not standalones in tourist spots.
My Revolut Visa was captured by a Caixa Geral de Depósitos ATM in Lisbon. I went into the branch the next day with my passport, and they returned it after confirming my details. The staff spoke good English and were helpful, so the whole process took less than an hour. Multibanco is a reliable system, and if you use ATMs attached to bank branches, the staff can usually sort it out quickly. I was relieved I didn’t have to cancel my card.
In Portugal, ATMs are part of the Multibanco network, mainly operated by Millennium BCP, Caixa Geral de Depósitos, and Novo Banco. If your card is retained, go to the nearest branch during business hours with your passport. Multibanco machines are emptied daily, but foreign cards may be destroyed if not claimed quickly. Call the hotline on the ATM right away. Until you know whether you’ll get it back, freeze your card via your bank’s app.
Yes, it happened in Lisbon, near Rossio Square, at a Caixa Geral de Depósitos ATM. The machine retained my card and the bank confirmed it would be destroyed. In Portugal, if your card is swallowed, cancel it immediately - you won’t get it back. Avoid the “Euronet” ATMs near hotels and tourist areas, as they’re notorious for high fees and problems. Stick with Caixa Geral, Millennium BCP, or Santander Totta ATMs inside branches. Carry some euro cash for cafés, bakeries, and metro tickets.