[OT] ATM machines in other countries

[Jon 'maddog' Hall]

> IIRC, my FirstUSA/Chase VISA card worked just fine in most places in South
> Korea.  I might have had to use my Amex for one thing or two.  As for the
> ATM, I did have to find specific ATMs that would accept my US-based Bank
> ATM Card.  Finding those wasn't TOO hard in Seoul..  But this was a few
> years ago and my memory is a little fuzzy.

In various countries I have been in you have "local banks", and
"International banks".  A lot of times the local banks do not honor
Cirrus or Plus or any of the other "International services".

Even if they do honor them, I have found that banks in areas of "high
risk" of bank card fraud will turn off their access or severely limit
the amount of money you can withdraw between (say) 2000 hours at night
and 0900 in the morning...just what you need when you are trying to
purchase something large at 2100 hours.  Then at 0901 the next morning,
everything is fine.  You learn to adapt.

Still, I have yet to be "really stuck" by not being able to find a
willing ATM machine during normal work hours. (knock on wood)

md