I was using an ATM near my hostel in Russia, & 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?
Yes, mine was taken by a Sberbank ATM in Moscow near Red Square. Staff told me foreign cards are automatically destroyed. Cancel it right away and switch to a backup. In Russia, stick to Sberbank or VTB ATMs inside branches. Many international cards don’t work due to sanctions, so bring cash or a local payment app if possible.
Happened to me outside a mini-mart ATM in Kazan. Card went in and never came out. It was one of those Euronet machines, which I now avoid like the plague. I had to call my bank back home and cancel it, then live on backup cash and a Revolut card for the rest of the trip. Lesson learned: don’t mess with no-name ATMs after dark.
Lost my card at a Tinkoff ATM in Moscow. Their support chat in the app was actually helpful-they asked for the ATM ID and flagged it. I was near one of their lounges, went in with ID, and got it back two days later. Since then, I’ve always used ATMs attached to actual bank branches during open hours-less stress if something goes wrong.
This happened to me at a VTB machine in St. Petersburg. I just stood there like, “What now?” Ended up calling the support number listed on the ATM. The bank told me to come in person with ID. They were chill about it and had my card by the next afternoon. Super annoying, but fixable-don’t wait too long though, they usually destroy unclaimed cards after a couple days.
Yep, happened to me outside a Sberbank near Kitay-Gorod. Card just got eaten mid-transaction. No error or anything. Went into the branch next morning with my passport and got it back after they checked the logs. If it’s a standalone ATM though, you might be out of luck. Definitely call the bank right away and freeze it if you’re unsure.