I was using an ATM near my hostel in Denmark, & it took my card & never gave it back. No error message, just gone. Has anyone had this happen? Whats the fastest way to get it back? Any advice on who to call or what to do next?
I had my Monzo Mastercard taken by a Jyske Bank ATM in Odense late on Friday. By Monday, when I visited the branch, the staff told me the card had already been destroyed. I had no choice but to cancel it and switch to my Wise backup. Denmark is highly card-friendly, so it wasn’t a disaster, but it was stressful. My advice: don’t use ATMs outside business hours, and always travel with more than one card just in case.
My Revolut Visa was captured by a Danske Bank ATM in Copenhagen. I went to the branch the next morning, and the staff returned it after checking my ID. They were helpful and spoke English well. It only delayed me about 20 minutes, and I didn’t need to cancel my card. Nordea in Aarhus also handled this quickly for a travel companion. The process in Denmark is usually smooth if you stick to branch ATMs during working hours.
In Denmark, ATMs are mainly run by Danske Bank, Nordea, and Jyske Bank. If your card is taken, visit the branch with your passport. Cards are typically retained until the ATM is serviced, often the same day at large branches. Call the number printed on the ATM right away. If you can’t recover it quickly, most banks will destroy foreign cards for security. Freeze your card in your banking app until you know whether it can be returned.
Yes, it happened in Copenhagen, Nørreport Station, at a Danske Bank ATM. The card was retained with no message. Staff told me it would be destroyed. Cancel right away and use a backup. Safer options are Danske Bank, Nordea, or Jyske Bank ATMs inside branches. Denmark is nearly cashless - you can pay with cards everywhere from trains to bakeries. Just make sure you have another working card.