The Nightmare of Losing My Credit Card in an Overseas ATM – A Ho Chi Minh Travel Story [The Trap of Foreign Cash Withdrawals]

As a travel blogger, I’ve visited countless countries, experienced diverse cultures, and enjoyed different landscapes. Throughout all these travels, I had never encountered any ATM-related trouble. Using my credit card’s overseas cash withdrawal function had become a routine part of my travels, something I did naturally without taking special precautions. Because of this, I never dreamed that one day, tragedy would strike me in a completely unexpected way.

In this article, I’d like to share the entire experience and the lessons I learned from it.

An Incident During a Quick Trip to Vietnam

Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. There I was, standing at a VietinBank ATM in the bustling arrival floor. It was Saturday afternoon, and during this short trip to Vietnam, I needed to withdraw a small amount of cash. However, at that moment, I had no idea how much trouble this choice would bring me later.

Operating the ATM was simple, following the machine’s instructions. I entered the desired amount and executed the withdrawal, and the cash was dispensed with a sound. However, in the next moment, I faced a terrifying reality. My card appeared to come out, but within just 5 seconds, it was sucked back into the machine.

I was aware that ATMs have a security feature that pulls the card back into the ATM if it isn’t retrieved within a certain time after being ejected, to prevent forgetting or theft. However, I was completely caught off guard that this feature would activate after just 5 seconds.

Shouting “No way!” in my mind, I panicked. All I had left were the withdrawn cash and the receipt. To take immediate action, I decided to seek help from the airport staff.

Support from Airport Staff

The airport staff were kind and responded quickly. However, their expressions conveyed a sense of helplessness. According to their explanation, the ATM was managed by the bank, and that bank wasn’t open on weekends. In other words, it seemed I would have to wait until Monday to retrieve my card.

However, as mentioned earlier, I was in Vietnam for a weekend trip. “I need to return home tomorrow,” I desperately explained. The staff sighed deeply and advised me to call the number listed on the ATM. But the reality was even harsher. When calling that number, I was told either that it was no longer in use or that I had the wrong number. There was no sign of a solution.

Finally Connected to the Bank, But…

When I called the only phone number that connected, all I got was an endless automated guidance in Vietnamese. I had no idea what they were saying. Here again, I needed the airport staff’s help. They responded earnestly, and after much effort, they managed to connect me to the responsible department.

However, their efforts were in vain. In the end, the response was that the bank was closed on weekends, so I needed to come back on Monday. At this point, I had to give up on retrieving my credit card. In addition to losing the card, I also lost the transit pass that was attached to it.

I thanked the airport staff and immediately contacted my credit card company to cancel the card. Through this bitter experience, I learned what might seem obvious: that using ATMs overseas requires significant caution.

Lessons Learned

Let me reorganize the lessons learned from this experience.

First, try to use ATMs during bank business hours whenever possible. If your itinerary makes it impossible to use ATMs during business hours, such as weekend travel, it might be safer to use currency exchange services, even if the rates are slightly worse.

Also, before using an ATM, confirm that it’s installed in a reliable location. Additionally, as a precaution, carrying multiple credit or debit cards is a good strategy. This time, I had brought other cards, so I could resign myself to losing the swallowed card, but if I had only brought one payment method and that single card had been swallowed by the ATM, not only would my trip have been jeopardized, but I might have even had difficulties returning home.

Furthermore, don’t forget to get a receipt when withdrawing cash. Even if you have a chance to retrieve your credit card later, the bank won’t assist you without proof that you are the card’s rightful owner. It’s wise to keep a record of the transaction as a receipt. And having travel insurance can provide peace of mind in case of emergencies.

There are many lessons I learned from this incident. In particular, I keenly felt the importance of being prepared for unexpected situations in foreign countries. Precisely because you never know what might happen during travel, preparation and mental readiness are necessary.

In Conclusion

Although it was a short stay, my experience of Vietnam’s beauty and the kindness of its warm people remains unforgettable. And the gratitude I feel towards the airport staff who helped me in a difficult situation still remains in my heart. On my next trip, I want to be even better prepared and enjoy my travels with greater peace of mind.

I hope this story can serve as a reference for your overseas travels. And I sincerely wish that you have enjoyable trips with thorough preparation, without experiencing the kind of trouble I did.