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-   -   Fidelity Investments Debit Card (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/fidelity-investments-debit-card-342849/)

bob_brown Apr 13th, 2008 04:31 PM

Fidelity Investments Debit Card
 
I just recently acquired a shiny new Visa debit card from Fidelity based on a money market core account.

I have tested this new piece of money plastic in ATMs at various locations in the US with 100% success.

But, I know Europe is different.
Have any of you tested this type of card in Europe? If so, how well did it work?

knoxvillecouple Apr 13th, 2008 05:06 PM

I have no experience with the Fidelity Investments debit card. However, I doubt that any ATM in Europe cares what bank/financial institution your Visa debit card is attached to, as long as it has a 4-number PIN.

Others here may obviously know more than I do, however.

Sam

Travelnut Apr 13th, 2008 06:01 PM

If it's Visa-branded, it will work.

bob_brown Apr 13th, 2008 06:49 PM

Well, I have good reason to be skeptical. Last year I obtained a Master Card debit card from a local credit union that has Star and Plus on it. It failed totally in Switzerland. I tried it at 5 different banks, including Credit Suisse and Raiffeisen Bank.

It also did not work at every bank in Scotland, although the Royal Scottish Bank was responsive.

It worked at Deutsche Bank in Germany as well.

So I am a doubting Thomas until it has proven to work, at least for somebody.

It does have a 4 digit pin. I made sure of that.

My 3rd option is Bank of America, which for obvious reason I would like to avoid using. At $5.00 per pop at off-net ATMs I started looking for an alternative. I thought the credit union card would be the answer, but it wasn't. So this year I was hoping that a huge financial institution like Fidelity would be a sound risk.

I will be in the Czech Republic, and I don't have any indication that there is a B of A correspondent bank in that nation, so all transactions using my B of A plastic would be off-net.


djkbooks Apr 13th, 2008 07:02 PM

My bank can tell you by zip code nearby ATM's where the card is accepted.

bob_brown Apr 14th, 2008 09:37 AM

Prague has zip codes??


bob_brown Apr 14th, 2008 10:08 AM

The Czech Republic has no banks that are affiliated with Bank of America.
So any use of my B of A check card or ATM card in that nation will result in a $5.00 per transaction fee.

The same is true of Switzerland - no B of A affiliate banks.

In the UK, Barclays, in France BNP Paribus, in Germany Deutsche Bahk, in Canada Scotia Bank, and in Australia West Pac. I will be in Germany, but ATMs there dispense euro notes and not Swiss francs.



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