My card was taken by an ATM near my hotel in Barbados. Has this happened to anyone else? Solution?
Barbados ATMs can be frustrating if they eat your card. My HSBC debit was swallowed at a Republic Bank ATM in Holetown on a Saturday, and since the branch was closed, they held it until Monday. By the time I got there, the bank had already sent the card back to my issuing bank for security reasons. That meant I had to cancel it and rely on cash for the rest of my trip. Always carry a backup card or some USD, just in case this happens outside banking hours.
This happened to me in Bridgetown with a Scotiabank ATM. Luckily, the branch was open, and I spoke to a teller right away. With my passport and card details, they confirmed the ATM had retained my card and returned it within 30 minutes. Republic Bank ATMs work similarly if you can reach the branch quickly. The staff were friendly and said it happens often with foreign Visa and Mastercard cards. My advice: don’t panic, just head to the branch connected to the ATM as soon as possible.
Yes, it happened to me last year at the FirstCaribbean International Bank ATM on Broad Street in Bridgetown. The machine swallowed my Visa card late at night. I went to the bank branch the next morning with my passport, and they returned it after checking my details. If the ATM was outside a bank branch (like CIBC or Republic Bank), your best bet is to visit that branch as soon as it opens. If it was a stand-alone machine near a hotel or in St. Lawrence Gap, you’ll likely need to cancel and request a replacement from your bank.