A handful of us have been victims of our ATM cards being seized by the Automated Teller machine and when this happens, it leaves us devastated. Have we been curious to really know the reason why this is so? This thread will try to give us highlights of some possible causes and enlighten us to properly use the ATM when next we visit.

(I highlighted some words for those who are ITKs. They won't read in between lines but jump into conclusion).

I would also call on Professionals in the banking sector to add to these points being highlighted so that we too can learn. Before I will start, let's have a brief Introduction about the ATM. Some of the points were culled from blogs.


An ATM (Automated Teller Machine) which is also called by some other names like ABM (Automated Banking Machine), Cash Machine or Cash Point is a self-help electronic banking device which is networked with financial institutions and performs financial transactions for clients. Modern ATMs can perform a variety of functions including cash withdrawal, cash transfer, cash deposit, utility bills payment, balance inquiry, obtaining the bank statement etc. Despite of all the advantages, ATM cards, Debit cards or Credit cards which are used at ATMs may get swallowed by the machine. There could be several possible reasons for this trouble which I have discussed below.


1- Inserting the card wrongly


There is a way to insert the card in ATM. You can find an arrow on one side of the card which indicates in which direction you have to push it into the card inlet of ATM. But if you do not do that way, ATM might fail to read your card and swallow it instead of returning it.

2- Having no balance or insufficient balance in account


Some ATMs are configured to hold your debit card or ATM card if you have no balance or insufficient balance in your bank account. That is an unfair policy to hold your card for that reason but it’s happening.

3- Using a faulty or broken card


Every card has the name of account holder written on it in plus a magnetic strip on the back which carries necessary details which is machine readable only. If for some reason the name or magnetic strip fades away, the ATM will not be able to read the card and might hold it. Same is true in case of using broken or bent card. It might get stuck inside.

4- Using a card in wrong ATM


An ATM is configured to support certain services like Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Maestro, American Express etc. If you insert a card into such an ATM which does not display the logo of your service, your card might be eaten by the machine.

5- Using an expired card


This is a big issue about which people do not care. If the card has crossed the expiry date, the card becomes useless. Putting that into the cash machine might get swallowed by it.

6- Using the blocked card


If you lost your card, blocked it and later recovered it but didn’t unblock it or your card was blocked by the provider due to the violation of any term, using such blocked card will alert the ATM and it will simply eat up your card.

7- Use of reported card


A stolen card must be reported immediately. Such cards become useless even if you recover them. Using such cards will result into alerting the cash machine and holding your card.

8- Out of order ATM


This is one of the biggest issue which can create troubles for users. An out of order machine can swallow your card instead of returning it. The major cause for this problem could be the failure of any mechanical or electronic part inside the machine.

9- Entering PIN erroneously several times


When you use your card at an ATM, you have to enter the PIN before proceeding to services menu page. If you have forgotten the actual PIN and enter it erroneously several times, ATM will hold your card considering it a stolen card or a theft attempt. Sometimes, mistakenly entering wrong PIN more than once can result into the same.

Don't you know there are faulty automated teller machines that swallow card without any reason.

I think points 1&2 isn't true.

1. The card is supposed to be inserted from the side that has the black arrow but when one mistakenly try the other side the machine rejects the card instantly.

2. I've used machines where I had insufficient balance but rather I was notified I couldn't carry on the transaction, and my card was rejected. The only reason I know the ATM holds back the card is when the password is entered wrongly more than once.

Benita27:
I think points 1&2 isn't true.

1. The card is supposed to be inserted from the side that has the black arrow but when one mistakenly try the other side the machine rejects the card instantly.

2. I've used machines where I had insufficient balance but rather I was notified I couldn't carry on the transaction, and my card was rejected. The only reason I know the ATM holds back the card is when the password is entered wrongly more than once.

there is a word "might"...


You failed to see that


And also in point number 2, you failed to see the "some ATM's are manufactured to hold cards that have insufficient balance.. Benita.. What's wrong?

StRichard:
Don't you know there are faulty automated teller machines that swallow card without any reason.

this is enveloped in point number 8..

Go back and study it

dingbang:
there is a word "might"...


You failed to see that

For those reasons I outlined, there's no "Might" 'cause the machine never holds back one's card.

Benita27:
For those reasons I outlined, there's no "Might" 'cause the machine never holds back one's card.

please which ATM have you designed in your life?

that no 5

Some of your points are no true sir.

Benita27:
For those reasons I outlined, there's no "Might" 'cause the machine never holds back one's card.

Beni Beni

dingbang:
please which ATM have you designed in your life?

Do I need to design an ATM card or the machine to know that?.

Martin0:


Beni Beni

How fa?, happy Sunday.

Benita27:
How fa?, happy Sunday.

I jus dey ooo.. Wish u same ooo Abeg dey enjoy ur stay for hear na,, If u enter better trend we go talk

Martin0:

I jus dey ooo..
Wish u same ooo
Abeg dey enjoy ur stay for hear na,,
If u enter better trend we go talk

Talk about?.
I'll soon be going off sef 'cause have got a lot to attend to today.

Benita27:
Talk about?. I'll soon be going off sef 'cause have got a lot to attend to today.

Eh eh ok ooo, As u dey attend to make sure say u dey register me into any goodies ooo

same reasons some guys (ATM) withhold their side chicks alawee

No 1 & 4 are definitely not true. You tried tho

Dingbang, I'm sorry for that comment. Think I went overboard with it, and I've been uncomfortable. Will modify.

The only day an ATM seized my card was when I withdrew and forgot it in the machine went back the next day couldn't find my card

Benita27:
Dingbang, I'm sorry for that comment. Think I went overboard with it, and I've been uncomfortable. Will modify.

my apologies too

Ok you tried but number 2 & 4 is absolutely wrong

The ATM may simply be hungry.

Many of diz reasons arent except 1 n wat exactly is d point of dis thread cos dis is neither newsworthy nor info-worthy.

why not give me 9 reasons why buhari has not returned

Some Atm are just wicked

Money you no see

Card you no see

Nice one op
other reasons include... Bad luck, village people dem..

Op... All you wrote is not the major cause of card trap... Cards are trap when card reader sensor is faulty... Mostly due to dust or bad magnetic head... Also, some customers forget to pick their card which causes the ATM to retract the card after some seconds

VickyRotex:
2 weeks ago, ATM overpaid me. I chatted their Twitter team up, and the lady was surprised. So according to her advise, I waited for about 3 days to see if I was going to be debited. (I knew I wasn't, cos it's possible the bills came out stuck to each other)
So I went back to the bank to return the money, and the guy was just looking at me like this

ATM over paying means dispenser belt or rollers are worn-out. Maintenance wasn't wasnt done on ATM to clean sensor area... Also it may be a host configuration problem

Let me share.

2 weeks ago, ATM overpaid me. I chatted their Twitter team up, and the lady was surprised. So according to her advise, I waited for about 3 days to see if I was going to be debited. (I knew I wasn't gonna be debited, cos it's possible the bills came out stuck to each other)

So I went back to the bank to return the money, and the guy was just looking at me like this He was like, this is rare. He had to go call someone to help him out, on how to handle the return. I was just laughing In my mind, I said "Mi kin je nkan, oni nkan, molu temi"

OK