I was using an ATM near my hostel in Sweden, 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?
I was traveling solo in Gothenburg and once took out money at a Bankomat kiosk near Järntorget at around 1 am. There were trams still running and a few late-night cafés open. Didn’t feel unsafe at all. The ATM was attached to a Handelsbanken building and I used my Wise card. Sweden’s surveillance is solid and crime rates are low, especially compared to other cities I’ve visited in Europe. Still, I avoid empty areas or anyone hovering nearby. Always shield your PIN and have your card ready before you approach.
That’s exactly what happened to me in Uppsala near the student area. Used my Halifax Clarity card at a Bankomat machine and it simply held the card. No noise, no screen change. I called the number posted on the ATM and they told me to fill out a form online, which was a bit of a process. I then called Halifax who immediately canceled it and issued a new one to my hotel in Stockholm. If you're stuck, some banks like SEB or Nordea will at least let you confirm whether the card was retrieved by their maintenance team. But once the machine captures it, recovery is tricky unless it’s your bank’s own card. Always travel with two cards and keep one somewhere safe.
Same thing happened to a guy I met at STF Stockholm City Hostel. He was using a Citi card at a Swedbank ATM just around the corner and it got taken. No receipt, no message. The hostel receptionist actually helped him call Swedbank’s ATM hotline using their landline. Turned out that sometimes the machine takes cards if there’s a chip error or delay in removing it. In his case, the card was not recoverable. Always take a picture of the ATM location and ID number if you can. He also had a backup card which saved him a lot of stress. I now travel with both a physical card and a digital wallet just in case.
I had the same issue in Malmö, right outside the train station. I was using an N26 card and the machine kept it. No error, nothing. I called Bankomat customer service from the number listed on the machine and they were super helpful. They asked for the ATM ID (found on the front of the machine), my card type, time of incident, and then told me the card would be destroyed if not collected in a few days. Since I was traveling north the next day, I had N26 cancel the card and send a new one to a friend’s place in Umeå. Also worth filing a report with your card issuer immediately, especially if it's linked to your bank account.
Happened to me in Gothenburg last year outside the Nordea branch near Brunnsparken. The Bankomat ATM just swallowed my Revolut card and went dark, no receipt, no warning. I walked into the bank next door and they told me the ATM is serviced by an external company, not them directly. Best thing you can do is call the number on the ATM itself usually Bankomat’s or the specific operator's support line. I also called my card provider right away and blocked the card just in case. Got a replacement shipped in a few days to my hostel in Linné. Don’t wait too long or the machine will shred the card for security.
Same. Bankomat ATM took my card. Called the number on screen but the help desk couldnt assist. Bad luck!