My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Antigua and Barbuda. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
This happened at a VFSC Bank ATM near Jolly Harbour - no error or message. I reported it quickly, and they confirmed receipt in about 24 hours. I returned with ID and got the card back the same afternoon. Antigua ATM cards retained can be recovered - especially if it's a local bank machine. Standalone kiosks are riskier. My advice: freeze the card with your bank online just in case, but go to the branch in person ASAP. Don’t wait a week. Recovery success is high, but speed matters.
My HDFC debit was gobbled up by a First Citizens ATM in St. John’s. Staff said it would be destroyed after 7 days if unclaimed. Luckily I was in town, went back the next business day, and they gave it to me after verifying my passport. I learned the hard way: ATM card retrieval in Antigua & Barbuda is almost always bank-dependent. Use ATMs inside the branch and don’t leave the country before checking. I also always take pictures of the machine’s serial number now.
It happened to me at an Alivon Hotel ATM near Nelson’s Dockyard - no message, just gone. I called the bank’s customer hotline, then stopped by the following morning. They located it in a secure slot, scanned my ID, and handed it back. Retrieving swallowed cards in Antigua & Barbuda is quite possible if the ATM is located within a staffed bank branch. Standalone or hotel machines? Not always lucky. Now, I only use bank-lobby terminals and carry plenty of cash.
Yes - my credit card vanished into a Scotiabank ATM near Dickenson Bay Resort. No errors, just a chomp and silence. I sprinted to the branch with my passport and they pulled it out from the retention box the next day. If an ATM in Antigua captures your card, go directly to that bank branch ASAP, during business hours. They held mine securely. I recommend having a backup card frozen at home and taking a photo of the ATM machine before using it - it really helps.