I was using an ATM near my hostel in Slovakia, and it took my card and 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?
The exact same thing happened to me outside a shopping centre in Košice. I was using a Nova KBM ATM, and it just went silent after inserting the card. I had to ask my hotel reception for help - they called the bank’s local branch and explained it in Slovak. I went there next morning with my passport, and they returned it without much hassle. If you're in a smaller town, it helps to ask someone local to make the call or even go with you to the branch.
I lost my card to a VÚB ATM in Nitra. First step: take a photo of the ATM if you can - screen, location, and time. Then contact the bank either by phone (number’s usually printed on the machine) or in person. If it’s a foreign card, they’ll ask for ID and probably tell you to come back in 1-2 business days. The only time I didn’t get a card back was with a third-party ATM inside a hotel lobby. Since then, I only use ATMs attached to banks and avoid nighttime withdrawals.
My card got swallowed by an OTP Bank ATM near the Bratislava train station. No error, no explanation - just gone. I went into the branch next door and filled out a form. The staff didn’t speak much English but understood the situation and told me to come back in 48 hours. Sure enough, they had it. If you’re using an ATM that’s not attached to a physical bank (like one in a mall or outside a shop), you’ll probably have to call a hotline and might not get it back. I now only use ATMs during bank hours, at bank locations.
That happened to me in Žilina. I used a Slovenská sporiteľňa ATM, and the machine just held onto my card without saying anything. I went into the branch first thing the next morning with my passport. They checked their ATM logs and told me it had been pulled into the bin for “security reasons” and would be available the next day. I picked it up two days later with ID. If the ATM is connected to a bank branch, go in person ASAP - they’re generally helpful.