How ATM Can (AND WILL) Trick You When Traveling

Please be warned - there are many ways ATM will try to trick you when traveling. Watch the full video to see tips on how to avoid being scammed.

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Thank you for your support!
Honza Mikulka & Janek Rubeš, Prague based journalists
#HonestGuide

[AussieAvgeek]

This video has saved me thousands of dollars over the last year just by simply declining the conversion, you my sir are a great man

[podrznik]

One time I was using my Dutch card to pay for a dinner in Poland, and the waiter selected the option that I wanted to pay in EUR rather than the local PLN. I was like "Whoa, what are you doing? I want to pay in PLN." And the waiter said that he was instructed to always select EUR (or USD, or ...) in the case of foreign bank cards. I made him cancel the transaction and do it again and explained him the story.

These Euronet practices... should be subject of investigations by district attorneys. Seriously. It's embezzlement.

[Buglin_Burger]

The worst thing about Decline is the fact any sane person without knowledge of this would not click Decline as it looks like it will cancel the transaction. It looks like you don't have a choice.

Things like this exist all over the world and this is a great video to educate people.

[patriklukac]

This is just so sad how they are stealing money legally. You are doing a great job by showing to all of us where to be careful. Amazing videos. Thank you.

[paisleybuddie]

When I was in Prague last year a kind person had placed a large sticker on an ATM in Rumunska which said in English, German and Russian "WARNING - This ATM will rob you!"

[kevonvideo]

I don't understand how these aren't illegal yet. The touristy area's in Portugal are also littered with Euronet ATM's. Great job pointing this scam out 👏

[georgetim]

Literally 1 minute ago I used this tip in Italy to withdraw euros, and I saved 13% by doing it your way. Grazie Mille!!

[jamesc]

So essentially, all the conversion button does is convert 100% of your money into 87% of your money?

[andyryan]

Just used your trick (in Mexico) to not accept the conversion rate and it worked! Best exchange rate I've gotten in two months! Thank you for sharing!!!

[SarahandMarek]

The honest guide back at it again to helping us on our travel ventures 😁

[zeewin]

That applies to PayPal as well, always decline the conversion thru a few more clicks at payment option, auto currency conversion is set by default.

[Retiredtraveler]

I'm 63 and I've been traveling to Europe for years. Once upon a time in the 90s ATMs charged no fees, no markups, and it was a better deal than getting money from a US ATM. Now, you're absolutely right I was recently in Argentina and the ATMs there had all kinds of Hidden wire trips. Fortunately, my Navy Federal credit Union allows me up to $20 a month in ATM fees they reimburse me for.

[placesvisit]

*I wish there was an honest guide in every city of the world*

[BenRangel]

The fact that they now have to state "12% markup" is a big win.
Good to see EU regulations at work.

[whoeveriamiam]

here in the Netherlands we have very few ATMs left because criminals figured out that you don't have to pay any fees if you blow the machine out of the wall and pick up the currency from the ground

[lautrufend]

Be careful! It is worth highlighting his point that it’s not just ATMs. Some merchants are also doing this when you pay with a foreign card at a restaurant, gift shop, or even at the airport. This is including at reputable stores. When you insert your card, the staff may ask you “do you want to pay in (your home currency)?” I have a U.S. credit card with no foreign transaction fees and typically competitive exchange rates. If I were to accept this, the restaurant or shop’s card processor would do the conversion for me at a terrible rate. So always decline and say you will pay in your local currency.

I asked the cashier once why they confuse people like this, and they shrugged and said “it’s just for your convenience.” It’s not for your convenience, it’s for their company’s pocketbooks and even well known department stores do this.

[mattiauk]

Also in general I find that is best to avoid private ATMs, . IF you use banks ATMs you are less likely to be screwed to crazy levels.

[drjihad]

You don't know how much money this video saved me in my second visit to Poland Greetings from Germany 🇩🇪

[johanakuhnelova]

I'd also recommend to ALWAYS examine the ATM before putting in your card. Sometimes thieves install this device on top of the place where you put you card and it is there to gather information about your card. It's kinda an oldschool trick, it ofc does not happen all the time, but it's good to be mindfull

[MyDailyUpload]

Thank you for your videos. When we traveled to Spain a few years ago, I did my homework and found I could go to a Deutchebank ATM with my particular US issued card and get cash with almost no fee. I avoided Euronet completely. It is an odd coincidence that I briefly worked for Euronet when they bought the company I worked for. I truly had no knowledge of their high fees and preying on unsuspecting people. I naively thought we were providing a critical service. I quit in 1999, but I still have a relative that works there. I let him know every time I see him that his company engages in shady business practices.