We used my chipped debit card from our little local credit union twice at Scotia Bank ATM at the roundabout and twice at the Times Square ATM, and also a couple of times at an ATM IN MoBay. Happy to report we've been home 2 weeks and no suspicious activity with our checking account. Yay!
Originally Posted by meinvancouver
BaileysMom, the ATM's you used, were they reading the chip (which provides a different transaction code each time) or were they only capable of reading the magnetic strip?
both my son and I had our accounts hacked from ATM usage in Negril last Jan. Fortunately our Canadian banks covered the theft but for our next trip, this Nov. we're really not looking forward to holding a pile of cash. Going to look into a Canadian ScotiaBank account & see if its worth the effort. Still, this means a line-up inside the bank instead would prefer if Jamaican ATM owners & police figured it out.
Open a bank account at home and use it as your travel account, and use your primary as a back up. No need to bring loads of cash, however I would bring a little bit and keep it in the room safe as your second back up. Also, I keep my ATM cards in those RFID blocking sleeves and so far have never had a debit card compromised, with travel all over the globe.
knock on wood
I've reasoned that it is better to use an checking account not connected to other monies ie savings, credit card etc and empty it when you withdraw. I have to use debit cards and avoid withdrawal fees from scotia bank by their partnership with bank of america.
I should also add when I was there in May I had depleted the Tangerine account and needed more moneySo logged in online from my phone and transferred money and withdrew it the next day. No Problem Mon!
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