Dodgy Aeon Atm..Poss Scam?

[rayinkrabi]

I'm not sure if this is a scam but it had me worried for a time so I thought it would be a good idea to share this info...

I inserted my bank card into the aeon atm in tesco (Krabi) but nothing happened after that and nothing changed on the machine screen..even when I pressed the cancel button...lots of times! When I called one of the bank staff over she simply asked me to sit down..no way was I going to leave that machine unattended with my card stuck in it. One of the staff eventually called someone and handed me the phone..the person on the other end didn't have a clue and wondered why I had called them?? My Thai friend then explained the situation but they were more interested in my name, card number and other details such as was I an expat or tourist...they then said I should just inform my bank in England, appeared completely uninterested and carried on serving other customers!!

When I asked to speak to the manager..the staff simply told my Thai friend that wasn't necessary..at this point one of the staff walked to the atm, stared at it for a time, then when my head was turned away she retrieved my bank card and handed it back to me with a wry smile. I've used this atm many times and altho it's often out of order never had this problem before. Any ideas? or anyone out there had a similar experience?

[Dave the Dude]

Change your PIN number ASAP, if I were you. Your card might have been cloned.

Nothing lost even if alls well.

[grumpyoldman]

Same bank company, same kind of machine, the thing used to swallow cards regularly outside of a local restaurant we all used to go to here in Phuket.

Didn't ever hear of any scams, people used to have to wait around for a truck to show up to open up the machine.

[stander]

I had a card cloned 3 years ago, I was on my way back to Hua Hin from Ratchaburi and I stopped at the BigC in Petchaburi and I withdrew money from the KasiKorn ATM inside the store.

I remember thinking at the time that this particular machine seemed to take quite a bit longer than usual to return the card.

Now I very rarely use this particular card, but for some reason, I can’t recall now I needed to use it again the next day, but my withdrawal request was reject twice.

So I called my bank in the UK and they told me that my limit for that day had already been used, so immediately I told them to cancel the card.

Within 10 days I received a replacement card and forms to fill in with regards to the incident and because this was the first time I had used this card in several weeks there was no doubt which ATM had the cloning device.

The money was refunded back into my account.

Since that day I only ever use ATMs that are within either the bank itself or in a secure area just outside.

[rayinkrabi]

V interesting stuff..thx all,,maybe I've been here too long and getting paranoid but given your views plus the 'strange' behaviour of the staff at the tesco aeon bank I'll certainly avoid that atm in future..dam shame 'cos it used to save me that pesky 150 baht charge!

[grumpyoldman]

V interesting stuff..thx all,,maybe I've been here too long and getting paranoid but given your views plus the 'strange' behaviour of the staff at the tesco aeon bank I'll certainly avoid that atm in future..dam shame 'cos it used to save me that pesky 150 baht charge!

Last year Siam Commecrcial Bank started a 20thb charge when you were using your card outside the province where your SCB bank account is. Can't understand, still in Thailand, but costs 20thb to use the ATM as soon as I leave Phuket.

Edited January 18, 2011 by grumpyoldman

[rayinkrabi]

Hi Grumps, I've always found the banks charge 20 baht or so whenever u use an atm at any branch other than the one u opened your acc (with the exception of Tisco).

[LivinginKata]

Hi Grumps, I've always found the banks charge 20 baht or so whenever u use an atm at any branch other than the one u opened your acc (with the exception of Tisco).

Usually there is no fee if you use any branch of your bank's card in the same Provence as your bank.

[grumpyoldman]

Hi Grumps, I've always found the banks charge 20 baht or so whenever u use an atm at any branch other than the one u opened your acc (with the exception of Tisco).

Usually there is no fee if you use any branch of your bank's card in the same Provence as your bank.

Hi Ray, Livininkata is correct regarding SCB anyway. In Phuket where I established the account no fee when using the ATM, outside Phuket, 20thb chisel.

[tomartoh]

I have just noticed this post and can add that I also had problems with Tesco Aeon ATM machin

I have used it a number of times and it has been ok. However , earlier in this month i used it and never got my money from it

The bank slip indicated the amount of money asked for but also said not paid out. So i queried with the staff who wanted me to leave the machine, which i would'nt do. I got my gf on the phone and they told her the machine was out of order. but no sign up, and it had been used before me as i had to await my turn.

The manageress [maybe] wanted to hide but eventually got someone on the phone who went through the usual business of check with your bank. which i did, So that cost me time and money and then 2 days later the Aeon bank had taken the money from my account, although it did return again

So they knew the machine was faulty [???????]

At the tine my opinion of the staff was that they were unhelpful and i even wondered if it was supposed to have been my fault.

Anyhow, i wont be using that one again

[ESB7]

V interesting stuff..thx all,,maybe I've been here too long and getting paranoid but given your views plus the 'strange' behaviour of the staff at the tesco aeon bank I'll certainly avoid that atm in future..dam shame 'cos it used to save me that pesky 150 baht charge!

Last year Siam Commecrcial Bank started a 20thb charge when you were using your card outside the province where your SCB bank account is. Can't understand, still in Thailand, but costs 20thb to use the ATM as soon as I leave Phuket.

Thats been the case for at least 6 years, also with BKK Bank

[ESB7]

V interesting stuff..thx all,,maybe I've been here too long and getting paranoid but given your views plus the 'strange' behaviour of the staff at the tesco aeon bank I'll certainly avoid that atm in future..dam shame 'cos it used to save me that pesky 150 baht charge!

Go into an SCB branch with your passport and atm card, ask them to withdraw x Baht...no charge, except from your UK bank which you would pay at the atm anyway......easy and no way of any 'scams' either

[grumpyoldman]

V interesting stuff..thx all,,maybe I've been here too long and getting paranoid but given your views plus the 'strange' behaviour of the staff at the tesco aeon bank I'll certainly avoid that atm in future..dam shame 'cos it used to save me that pesky 150 baht charge!

Last year Siam Commecrcial Bank started a 20thb charge when you were using your card outside the province where your SCB bank account is. Can't understand, still in Thailand, but costs 20thb to use the ATM as soon as I leave Phuket.

Thats been the case for at least 6 years, also with BKK Bank

ESB7 I am going to politely disagree.

I have been travelling the region due to work for the past 6 years, using SCB ATM's and the 20thb charge out of province started when I happen to be in Phi-Phi withdrawing money, I'm pretty sure, November 2009. Could I be mistaken and it was only then I noticed, maybe, but I look at my ATM slips regularly.

No matter really, good thing about this thread is notifying everyone to stay away from that dodgy Tesco Aeon Bank ATM.

[Golden Nugget]

Used Aeon ATM at BigC in Krabi a few months back in February without any problem.

[junkofdavid2]

"Almost" happened to me at Siam Paragon's AEON.

Card got stuck 2 times until... I changed the amount from XX,900 baht (coz I wanted change) to a flat XX,000 baht! It then worked perfectly.

It seems that the card gets stuck ONLY IF you ask for bills which are not available in the machine at the time.

The machine does NOT tell you that the smaller bills aren't available, and instead your card gets stuck.

Stick to asking for 1,000 bill amounts and I think you'll be fine.

[rayinkrabi]

The point is that when this happened I hadn't even got to the stage of entering any data, let alone the amount..the atm simply didn't acknowledge my card was there.

I've been here full time over 10 yrs, have used countless atms (regrettably) over that decade and I swear there was something dodgy going on here..confirmed to me by the 'staffs' attitude.

Btw, I've also had the same as a previous poster where no cash is dispensed (only ever happened to me at this atm in krabi), the slip confirms no amount withdrawn BUT my bank took the money out of my account and returned it later. It seems the atm computer program is at fault??.