Solo female-What is the safest way to retrieve money from an ATM?
 

Hi everyone: This has never occured to me before since I always travelled with my husband. I will be in Spain in Feb.and of course I will be needing some money from time to time.Being a solo 65 year old female,what would you suggest as the safest way to retrieve money from a ATM?
In my previous trips to Spain, I noticed that all ATM's were located outside the banks not inside like our banks at home.
Would the teller help me in that situation?
Regards, Gail

Moonchild, my advice would be to take the same precautions that you would at home. Only go to an ATM during the day, in a well trafficked area. Look like you know what you're doing. Shield the screen when you key in your code and amount. Quickly put your money away. Don't accept "help" from anyone who looks suspicious. You'll be fine, have a great trip!

I think it's really just a case of being aware of your surroundings.

Choose an ATM in a busy area.

Stand over the screen so no one else can see you typing in your PIN. If someone is standing uncomfortably close, then either glare at them or just walk away, whatever makes you feel more comfortable.

Be wary of any ATM that looks like it's been tampered with - particularly around the slot you put your card into. I don't know about Spain, but in London we've had reports of people putting attachments over the slot that either retain your card or read the information. These attachments are rather clumsy looking and failry obvious if you have your wits about you. If in doubt, walk away.

Don't be distracted. If someone trys to distract you, ignore them. I've had someone try to play the 'ooh have you dropped this money on the floor?' trick - again, this is in London. They're trying to distract you so they can grab the money from the machine while you're turning round.

This stuff all sounds very scary, but these tricks are VERY rare.

Just wanted to add one more thing. Do you understand Spanish (at least the basics)? When at machines in Italy, be it ATMs or train ticket dispensers, I always push the Italian language button. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but my reasoning is that if people see me pushing the English button, I'll be considered more of a target.

Thank you chiaroscuro and Kate.
chiaroscuro- I probably could manage the spanish button.Thanks for the suggestion.
I definitely will keep an eye on my surroundings also.

If you have any doubts go into the bank and ask for a cash advance on your card. It will work exactly like using the ATM.

chiaroscuro, you're doing it all wrong. You should be shielding the screen so they can't see you press the English button, just like you should be shielding the screen when you punch in your pin numbers.

>...ask for a cash advance on your card.<

Interest starts compounding from the moment you receive your money.

Many bank branches in Europe do have ATMs enclosed in a secure area outside the bank entrance.

Good advice re being aware of who, what is around you. Polite people do not crowd a person using an ATM.

If someone gets close behind you, cancel the transaction and walk away.

It is really a rare occurrence to be robbed at an ATM.

Enjoy your trip.

((I))

<if someone gets close behind you,close the transaction>
Sounds good to me. Many thanks to all of you.
I know that I will enjoy my trip.Looking forward to February.

Patrick, I definitely agree about shielding the screen (see my original response). But have you ever seen how big the screen is at the train station ticket machines? I'm not sure it's possible to shield completely.

ira, YOU ARE WRONG. If you get a cash advance from an ATM DEBIT card there is no interest.

<<If you get a cash advance from an ATM DEBIT card there is no interest.>>

This seems like this MUST be a disagreement over terminology. If the "advance" is your own money, out of your own account (isn't that what debit cards do? I don't know this for certain - - I don't use a debit card), then it is not an "advance".

If there really is a card of any kind, anywhere which "advances" you someone else's money with no interest, then I'll take a whole stack of 'em thank you!

But back to the original question - - I feel almost certain than in the downtown of a major city (Barcelona, for example), I have seen ATM locations that were "inside" (the outer doors) - - i.e., in a vestibule, off the sidewalk, before entering the main lobby.

Best wishes,

Rex

Er, once you've pressed a language button, the entire screen will be filled with instructions in the selected language. So shielding the button isn't much help.

But if anyone is standing close enough to read the screen, canceling the transaction is probably your best option.

My (wife's) cousin, a 50-something Spanish lady was robbed at an ATM near her home in one of Madrid's nicer suburbs.

I am a male Septuagenarian. I always (except at the airport) seek out ATM's located at Banks. Banks often have a small, locked enclosure that can be opened by sliding a valid ATM card. There is a sign inside telling the user to lock the door behind them. You go inside and use the ATM; then you put everything away before exiting the ATM enclosure.

Paloma (wife's cousin) still had the cash in her hand when she exited the 'secure' enclosure.

I always look for bank's ATM also.On previous trips, one of us kept an eye on the surroundings while the other one retrieved the money.I'm glad to know that there are enclosed areas.I will make certain that my card and money are secured in my purse before leaving.
Thank you.

Rex, I didn't realize this was a discussion of semantics rather than helping moonchild with her question. The bank that is giving the money is "advancing" it from their funds whether from the ATM or a teller in anticipation of receiving the funds from your bank. You can probably just ask for cash, money, Euros, pounds or any other currency of the country your visiting.

The bank giving the funds may not know if it is a debit or credit card. I know I've never been asked for a pin number but have had to provide photo ID, passport in Europe and driver's license in the US.

So, moonchild, go into the bank and ask for money - just don't do it with a weapon.

>>>>>>The bank giving the funds may not know if it is a debit or credit card. I know I've never been asked for a pin number but have had to provide photo ID, passport in Europe and driver's license in the US.<<<<<<

It seems to me that the possibility of having to present a passport in order to withdraw funds via a human bank teller adds a layer of complexity even as it addresses the orginal poster's concern about the security of ATMs. When I'm sight seeing in a European city I don't ordinarily walk around with my passport.

Not that I would mind walking around with my passport if I knew I would need it. When I travel I wear pants or a skirt with a secret pocket, i.e., a pocket within a pocket that is secured by velcro or a zipper. That is where I store my passport when I have to walk around with it, and that feels secure to me.

Anyway, if withdrawing cash at a counter inside the bank means that one may have to present one's passport, that's another thing a person may want to consider when he/she tries to choose the best option for getting cash.

I don't know about Spain, but in other countries you have to know your PIN in digits, as letters don't appear on the keyboard.

As for semantics, I agree that the term
'advance' is usually thought to mean
a borrowing of money from one's credit card line of credit, where interest starts immediately.
When I get cash by using my debit card, some bank system is instantly debiting the money from my checking account at home, I don't consider that an advance. No interest accrues, though there may be a transaction fee.

As for being cautious, all of the above is good, and I do recommend doing this during the day, partly for safety, but partly just in case anything goes wrong and you need assistance. Don't accept 'help' from any other fellow customers, just bank employees.
Travel with more than one card just in case of emergency, and know your account numbers and how to contact your bank or credit card company from abroad, and/or leave your account numbers noted for your husband.

One thing no one has mentioned is that Europeans seem to have better ATM manners than US citizens. At my local ATM I'm used to people standing practically right behind me as if they are afraid someone else will butt into line ahead of them. In most of Europe (and I'm really aware of this in the UK, where everyone seems to hit the ATM for constant 5 pound withdrawals), people seem to line up with more distance. In fact, when someone crowds in behind you, you can usually guess it is an American, in which case you ask politely to stand back, or else it is someone looking for trouble. If the person doesn't stand back when politely asked, then close out and move on.

Ah, but Patrick, we all know that in the UK at least, queuing is an art form, nobody does it better.
In the USA, standing in line (or standing ON line, depending on local lingo) is what most people think that someone else should be doing, but not they.