# Don't EVER forget your card in the ATM (especially if it's to a bank of which you aren't a member) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 24, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704 "2012-03-24T19:31:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/61 "2012-03-25T22:22:57Z")
Might I just interject how impressed I am that no one has written “ATM machine” or “PIN number” in this entire thread? This really is the top drawer of the Intranets. Oh, and **Ambi** , I hope your new card arrives post-haste. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/62 "2012-03-25T22:32:09Z")
[shame]I still say PIN number every time. But there’s hope, because it only took me 15 years to quit saying ATM machine.[/shame] ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/63 "2012-03-25T22:58:16Z")
I’m usually a Grammar Nazi of the first water, but I’ve given up on those ones. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/64 "2012-03-26T00:20:06Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I sure as hell will never become a member at this credit union now and I very well could have prior to this debacle. My current institution is a fair distance from my home and I am rather dissatisfied overall with my experiences there and _am_ interested in finding a new banking institution. I don’t know what your banking options are but if they are the only ones that are convenient, it may be a case of don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. If you chose another bank and need to go out of your way every time, then every time you go out of your way it will be due to this bank that caused you trouble, continuing their hardship on you. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/65 "2012-03-26T00:32:36Z")
> [@Fred\_Garvin](#): > > Motorized readers can do multiple transaction and are usually set up at a branch where bank personal have access to the terminal as opposed to dip readers which are at remote locations with no bank access. The credit union nearest my house has a dip reader on an ATM installed on the outside of the building that can do multiple transactions without re-dipping your card, but it asks _first_ as soon as you enter your PIN. It also has a “check balance and make a withdrawal” option, if you choose that, your balance is shown on the screen, then you’re asked how much you want to take out. Very handy. All ATMs should work this way, including the dip reader. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > I don’t believe what you are saying is correct. About having to sign for a retrieved card. Are you a bank employee? Or do you have a cite for this assertion? How would a ‘missing’ card be different from a ‘destroyed’ card? Both would be cancelled. Just because a card is captured by the machine, it’s not necessarily cancelled until that machine is next reconciled and the captured card is reported to the issuing bank. But you can be sure that as soon as an ATM is opened for reconciliation, there are two employees there (or one if there’s a camera) and everything that is taken out the machine – ledger, deposits/payments or captured cards – are immediately recorded and processed according to a set procedure. They can no more open the machine and just give you back your card any more than they can open it up and give you back a deposit. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/66 "2012-03-26T00:37:33Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > The credit union nearest my house has a dip reader on an ATM installed on the outside of the building that can do multiple transactions without re-dipping your card, but it asks _first_ as soon as you enter your PIN. It also has a “check balance and make a withdrawal” option, if you choose that, your balance is shown on the screen, then you’re asked how much you want to take out. Very handy. All ATMs should work this way, including the dip reader. > > Just because a card is captured by the machine, it’s not necessarily cancelled until that machine is next reconciled and the captured card is reported to the issuing bank. But you can be sure that as soon as an ATM is opened for reconciliation, there are two employees there (or one if there’s a camera) and everything that is taken out the machine – ledger, deposits/payments or captured cards – are immediately recorded and processed according to a set procedure. They can no more open the machine and just give you back your card any more than they can open it up and give you back a deposit. This issue has been beaten to death, but I say one more thing. The employees _do_ have access to the eaten card. This is not in dispute. When I went back to the credit union to attempt to get my card back, the manager told me that _unless_ I was a member, the card could not be returned to me. The teller, before she went and got the manager, was going back and forth as to whether or not to return the card to me. So they clearly have access to the cards. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/67 "2012-03-26T00:48:09Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > “We can’t be sure it’s yours.” Me with a photo driver’s license, insurance card, several credit cards, library card, Blockbuster card in my name… if I’d stolen someone’s identity I really went all out. Or, you know… your brother’s wallet. Next thing he’s raising all kinds of hell because his junkie brother was able to retrieve the card from the bank based on superficial resemblance and have another crack at guessing his pin. Why would the bank take that risk? What’s in it for the bank? Not-Their-Customer goes off in a snit vs Rival Bank seeks a “Please Explain” over the card being returned to the wrong person. I can see why the policy is “Let the issuing bank sort it out and don’t get involved”… even though that sucks from the customer’s POV. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/68 "2012-03-26T01:00:22Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Apparently such policies are standard. It’s not bullshit or evil or whatever else special snowflakes think shouldn’t apply to them. It’s businesses protecting themselves from what they think is a potential liability. So why didn’t the bank just tell OP this? There’s policy you have to follow to not get fired, and there’s being a soulless stupid fucking robot whore. “It’s just policy” without even proper elucidation is just god damn frustrating when the policy being enforced is having a negative result in your life. At least give me satisfaction of an anal rape from a person, not an unfeeling machine. Edit: not to say they should have given him the card, but clearly they didn’t explain why they were keeping it good enough. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/69 "2012-03-26T01:43:51Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > So why didn’t the bank just tell OP this? > > There’s policy you have to follow to not get fired, and there’s being a soulless stupid fucking robot whore. > > “It’s just policy” without even proper elucidation is just god damn frustrating when the policy being enforced is having a negative result in your life. At least give me satisfaction of an anal rape from a person, not an unfeeling machine. I just re-read the OP and it looks to me like they did explain it to him, albeit perhaps not very well. Then his bank actually backed them up. It should be obvious on the face of it that employees can’t violate policies even if the policies are stupid (unless, of course, they are illegal) or the employee will face reprisals. What good would it do, in general, to bring out the rule book and give a detailed answer to a non-customer about the details of the policy? All that will do is create some long involved nit picky argument from the non-customer about why the policy sucks or how they have some lame ass loop hole around it or something. They have much better things to do. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/70 "2012-03-26T03:44:57Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I did the same thing last year in Thailand with my UK debit card - took the cash out at the ATM of a large national bank, and walked off without the card. > > I always travel with a few spare cards but I was still concerned, as it’s one fewer line of defense against being stranded and cashless, and using another card would have required a bit of online juggling. > > With a heavy heart I went into the bank next day with my passport. They sat me down, gave me a glass of ice-cold water, pulled out a huge ledger and wrote all my details in it - it clearly happens all the time - then handed me back my card, which was in the back of the ledger, with a big smile. > > I love Thailand. I have heard stories like this before and am glad the situation has improved. I put my card from one bank into an ATM of another bank almost 20 years ago in central Bangkok, and before I could even push a button, the machine just shut down. !!! It took two weeks to get that back. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/71 "2012-03-26T08:12:28Z")
> [@Folacin](#): > > Which would be slower than contacting your bank, cancelling the card and having them send you a new one. Um, how? Most cards take at least a week, often 3 to 4 weeks, to be printed and sent by mail - during which time you don’t have access to any machines. Whereas mail between banks - esp. usually in the same city - is one day, two days at most. Additionally, depending on the terms & conditions, many banks demand a fee of 5 Euros or similar for a replacement card. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/72 "2012-03-26T08:19:54Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Then you don’t have much of an imagination. > > Let’s try this: > The two banks have an agreement that they’ll shred cards from the opposite bank if the card is eaten by their ATM. Would it then be legal? > > The small print in the agreement that you signed said that cards lost in other bank’s machines will be destroyed. Would it then be legal? You’re right, I don’t imagine terms like this. Mostly because I don’t imagine banks choosing destruction of cards as primary option. Because it costs money (sometimes the fee is passed onto the customers) and time (to wait for the replacement), a card is not default cancelled and shreddered if it has been in safe custody - which is the case if a machine and then the bank kept it. BTW, the ATMs over here show on screen “take your card” and then “take your money”, but if you forget, they swallow the money into a different drawer, and if you remember which ATM it happened, it can be traced back and will be credited to your account instead of being lost. I assume that your banks don’t provide that level of customer service either? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/73 "2012-03-26T13:50:21Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Bullshit. You said yourself that this is standard practice in the banking industry. Your current bank does it too. So do all of the rest of the banks. If you won’t patronize a bank with the policy, you won’t be able to use any banks. Not true. I left my card in my bank ATM. My wife, who works next door to the bank went over and got it for me. No problem. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/74 "2012-03-26T14:43:02Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Not true. I left my card in my bank ATM. My wife, who works next door to the bank went over and got it for me. No problem. Yes. _At your own bank._ This entire thread is about cards left at banks that are not your own bank. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/75 "2012-03-26T16:17:58Z")
The OP was just caught up in the general principle that if you are not a member of their bank or willing to open an accout, you are shit to them. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/76 "2012-03-26T19:46:46Z")
I once left my card in the ATM of another bank. It was after hours, so I drove back to that branch first thing in the morning. Unfortunately I was on a business trip in an unfamiliar city, and got there 10 minutes after they opened. 5 mintes after they had shredded my card :(. Also: when you go on a business trip, always bring a backup method of payment. Also Also: Western Union sucks donkey balls. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/77 "2012-03-26T21:06:10Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > The credit union nearest my house has a dip reader on an ATM installed on the outside of the building that can do multiple transactions without re-dipping your card, but it asks _first_ as soon as you enter your PIN. It also has a “check balance and make a withdrawal” option, if you choose that, your balance is shown on the screen, then you’re asked how much you want to take out. Very handy. All ATMs should work this way, including the dip reader. The ATM I use most commonly lets you do multiple transactions on one dip as well. You have to re-enter your PIN for each transaction. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/78 "2012-03-26T21:18:29Z")
> [@constanze](#): > > Um, how? Most cards take at least a week, often 3 to 4 weeks, to be printed and sent by mail - during which time you don’t have access to any machines. Whereas mail between banks - esp. usually in the same city - is one day, two days at most. > > Additionally, depending on the terms & conditions, many banks demand a fee of 5 Euros or similar for a replacement card. When I’ve had to have a card replaced, I usually receive the new card within 3 or 4 days of my request. They’re pretty efficient at creating and distributing cards nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/79 "2012-03-27T20:40:16Z")
I have a question. The OP says he will have to cancel/change stuff attached to this card because it was destroyed and he is getting a new one. Since it was a bank to bank thing as opposed to a lost/stolen card thing, wouldn’t/couldn’t they just send his new card with the same number? ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704/80 "2012-03-27T20:44:11Z")
Nope, then they can’t track the destruction and reissue. It opens them up to **Ambivalid** making a claim that the card wasn’t destroyed and that some of the charges on his statement are fraudulent. New number removes any possibility of confusion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-ever-forget-your-card-in-the-atm-especially-if-its-to-a-bank-of-which-you-arent-a-member/616704.md?page=5)