My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Switzerland. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
Happened once in Lausanne - the PostFinance ATM ate my Wise card. Luckily, I was staying nearby and visited the branch. They confirmed retrieval was possible but couldn’t release it to me since it wasn’t a Swiss-issued card. They offered a letter I used for filing a card replacement claim. If this happens to you, go to the bank the same day and bring ID - but don’t expect your card back.
Had the same issue last month at a Credit Suisse ATM in Lucerne. My debit card was taken mid-transaction. Staff at the bank were kind but told me they don’t give back foreign cards due to security policy. They suggested contacting my home bank immediately, which I did. Got a replacement in a week via DHL. Always travel with a second card or virtual wallet option in Switzerland!
Mine was taken by a UBS ATM in Zurich’s old town, and I panicked at first. I called the number on the ATM, and they told me to visit the branch it’s attached to. The teller said they collect cards overnight but only return Swiss-issued cards. They gave me a form stating the incident, which I forwarded to my bank. If it happens to you, act fast - but don’t expect the card back.
Yes - my card got swallowed by a Raiffeisen ATM near Bern station. No warning, just a spinning screen and then nothing. I walked into the bank next morning with my passport and withdrawal receipt, and they confirmed they’d recovered the card, but Swiss banks don’t return foreign cards. They shred them for security. I had to cancel and get a replacement sent to my hostel. Always bring a backup - Swiss banks are strict about this.