PC Financial ATM card
 

Has anyone with a PC Financial ATM card used their card in Europe? When I phoned today to advise them that we would be travelling in Europe the next few weeks, they informed me that our card would probably not work in Europe. Does anybody have any first hand experience?

Not first hand info on President's Choice in Europe, but is the PC card not an Interac or one of those other network links? does it require a differentiation between 'chequing' and 'savings'? does it have a 5-digit PIN?

All these thiings cause problems in Europe...you might want to post in the Europe Forum and ask fellow Canadians specifically.

Not Europe - but we use ours in Costa Rica. There seems to be one certain bank's ATM that it works in and now its the only one we try. Actually a friend with one just had his eaten by a machine. (We had told him that if he tried it in CR - only try the one we know it works in. But he tried another.)It however does not work in the majority. Since PC Financial is actually part of CIBC - I had figured that if it worked, it would work in the same machines that my CIBC card did. But...not!!

I really would recommend you don't rely on it as your sole card. When I called PC they told me they specifically don't advertise it as an International ATM card and don't put a PLUS symbol on it as it just won't work in all places.

However, the good news is that if you find a machine it works in, they only charge 3 bucks a pop when everyone else is charging 5.

Good luck
raquel

Cathy
The FAQ on the PC website says:
Can I withdraw money outside of Canada?
You can withdraw money from most bank machines outside of Canada. Charges for withdrawals through these bank machines are currently $3.00 per withdrawal. Some bank machines may levy additional surcharges. In addition, you will be charged the amount we are required to pay to buy the foreign currency, plus a fixed rate charge of 2.5% of the converted amount.

I was surprised as my PC card has the interac logo but not the plus logo. So I wouldn't rely on it.

I think this may be a bit late already. I hope this helps with other travelers in the future.

It is interesting to read the experience of other PC Financial card holders, especially about the cards being eaten!

I have used my PC Financial card to withdraw local currency in Europe (Italy, Russia, Poland and Czech Republic) plus a few other countries in Latin America, Asia and South Africa. It worked for me. I ensure that the machine is linked to the Plus/ Visa system. There was once the card did not work as that machine only accepted cards from the Cirrus Maestro system.

I agree with other posters to have another backup just in case.

PC Financial is the best bank deal going -- except when travelling outside Canada.
Like previous contributors, I have had mixed success and failure using the card to withdraw funds from ATMs elsewhere, even though it has a proper 4-digit PIN and must be used for a chequing account.
Fumbling with cards, befuddled by jet lag, while a lineup jitters behind you at an airport ATM, isn't the best introduction to a holiday.

More to the point, the PCFinancial card loses its bargain status compared to other Canadian bank cards when used outside the country. Read the fees listed in the terms and conditions agreement closely.

And remember, "abroad" means using the card in the United States as well as more distant destinations.

This goes ditto for the PCF MasterCard, which is as expensive to use outside the country as more traditional bank credit cards (althugh I think it still earns points on foreign purchases.)

Discussion on these boards always indicates that charges and policies vary from bank to bank, so it pays to get out the magnifying glass to peer at the fine print. I now use a debit card from a big bricks-and-mortar bank during foreign travel, despite cherishing my PCF plastic.

P.S.: There has been some discussion elsewhere in the forums about Capitol One's Canadian clients. I hold one of their credit cards and have checked out the fees for foreign purchases; they are not the same as reported by U.S. CapOne clients.