Anyone else had trouble using their Mega Bank bank card abroad? The bank clerk assured me that it was active abroad, but coudn´t use it in the States in the same ATM my stepmom used to get money out with her own checking account card from teh ol country. Tried here too, nope, no cigar. So no cash. 
Aside from calling Mega/going to Panama City/ any ideas here? Aside from living off my folks, that is.
[quote=“Icon”]Anyone else had trouble using their Mega Bank bank card abroad? The bank clerk assured me that it was active abroad, but coudn´t use it in the States in the same ATM my stepmom used to get money out with her own checking account card from teh ol country. Tried here too, nope, no cigar. So no cash.
Aside from calling Mega/going to Panama City/ any ideas here? Aside from living off my folks, that is.[/quote]
I’ve had problems a couple of times with different Taiwan cards from different banks. One solution was withdrawing a larger amount. Sometimes there’s a minimum you can withdraw abroad, around 10, 000NT I think. That worked in Thailand.
In Hong Kong I just had to walk around trying umpteen different banks until one finally spat the cash out.
In Singapore, the ATM swallowed my card and when I called the bank they said, sorry, all cards swallowed by the machine will be destroyed…AAARRRGGGH :fume:
Rats. So far, I am using my folks as bank. Not good since I have to pay my cousin for dental work. Oh, well, it all stays in the family.
The thing is if they tell me it is because of the machines - I am looking at international Cirrus here- fine, but if they come with teh ol “you are a furriner, can t get money abroad bit” I am going to be seriously pissed.
[quote=“Icon”]Anyone else had trouble using their Mega Bank bank card abroad? The bank clerk assured me that it was active abroad, but coudn´t use it in the States in the same ATM my stepmom used to get money out with her own checking account card from teh ol country. Tried here too, nope, no cigar. So no cash.
Aside from calling Mega/going to Panama City/ any ideas here? Aside from living off my folks, that is.[/quote]
I could call the local Megabank here (Taiwan) and ask them if you want. What kind of error are you getting when you try to use the card?
[quote=“Adam_CLO”][quote=“Icon”]Anyone else had trouble using their Mega Bank bank card abroad? The bank clerk assured me that it was active abroad, but coudn´t use it in the States in the same ATM my stepmom used to get money out with her own checking account card from teh ol country. Tried here too, nope, no cigar. So no cash.
Aside from calling Mega/going to Panama City/ any ideas here? Aside from living off my folks, that is.[/quote]
I could call the local Megabank here (Taiwan) and ask them if you want. What kind of error are you getting when you try to use the card?[/quote]
Just “not authorized”. :raspberry:
I hope I’m not being captain obvious, im just mentioning it in case this was missed.
Is the machine a Visa/Plus machine, or does it have the Mastercard/Cirrus logo on it? As I recall the Visa/Plus network is not compatible with Cirrus.
Another thing I have tried before is using all options… Checking, Savings, Credit card, etc, as when used internationally it may be listed under a different key setting.
The third thing is that when I applied at Mega, they gave me a 4 digit pin for International, and a 6 digit one for Taiwan. Hopefully you have a 4 digit one as this is the one to use when international. If not, why not try the 6 digit pin too.
Lastly did they ask for a copy of your ARC at any point and you maybe didn’t give it to them?
Hopefully it isn’t the “your a foreigner” BS, because I would definitely be closing my account if a bank did that to me. I opened an account with Mega but other than their secured credit card they are not open to giving an unsecured one to a foreigner EVER no matter how good your history is. So I had opened the account but never used it so I can’t tell you anything from experience.
Well, the one in the States was clearly marked For International Card Use. The ones in the ol country had it all: Cirrus, Visa, Mastercard. PIN was OK.
I am thinking it is more an issue of the chip system, as I was told the old style credit cards with indentations were teh ones that worked in the other side of the Pacific. Must find out for sure before next trip, though.
Dan explained it pretty well
Always bring some cash with you, USD or Euro, bring a credit card too, you are not guaranteed to be able to withdraw money overseas with Taiwanese bank cards. Having a Visa card is a great backup as you can get cashback or it will be accepted in many places.
Accounts with HK banks are more reliable , but again no 100% guarantee.
Off topic, but I have an unsecured credit card with Mega and I’m a foreigner here. Regarding the ATM’s, I’ve always found it pot luck, they insist their cards work abroad, some days they do, some days they don’t even with the same ATM.
Off topic, but I have an unsecured credit card with Mega and I’m a foreigner here. Regarding the ATM’s, I’ve always found it pot luck, they insist their cards work abroad, some days they do, some days they don’t even with the same ATM.[/quote]
Presumably you had a local co-signer? There are some banks here that will give unsecured cards to foreigners without a co-signor, but Mega has never been one of them, unless they have had a policy change.
Don’t have a co-signer, have been with them a long time though.
Not only did I have problems with this bank (I only used it because it was required by my employer - 成大) , I proactively checked to see if I was able to use it oversees (for credit cards withdraws). The clerk kindly took me to confirm my ID and password. So nice, right? I told her that the password was necessary overseas. She takes me to the ATM. No problem, she LIES. Once overseas, no funds can be withdrawn. The original clerk guaranteed Western use, NO, NOT AT ALL. I eventually had to use Western Union (thank God). My local bank could get NO interaction from TW . Mega bank is DEAD to me! They won’t even recover my bank transfer that never arrived THEY SPOKE 1000NTD). Know liars and cheats. SHAME SHAME SHAME!
Weird. I think we atoga cannot withdraw money from our local credit cards at all.
They warned me the password was 4 digits instead of normal 6 for the cash/account card. Haven’t tried it though.
I swear to the fact they promised me just that. International use. Until I went to use it. Then MY LOCAL Western bank called toll free. I
live in the middle of Canada. They said no problem, just go to the local Vancouver or Toronto bank to apply (for the function I ALREADY applied for. For those who don’t know, is like a trip from 台北 to 上海. Fools, the lot!
Banks in Taiwan are hilariously incompetent.
Their incompetence is no laughing matter however