jfh1107

I e-mailed Wells Fargo, told them about this discussion thread, and asked them if they could address it. Here is their response:

Wells Fargo regularly reviews cardholder activity to identify unusual purchase and transaction patterns. As part of this review process, some Check Cards were identified as being at risk for unauthorized transactions. As a precautionary measure, we have suspended ATM withdrawal transactions on those cards.

If your card becomes suspended from using the ATM's overseas, your Wells Fargo Visa Check Card allows you to receive an over the counter cash disbursement at any financial institution or bank displaying the Visa logo. To receive cash, present your Check Card and identification at the teller window and request a cash disbursement. This is NOT a "cash advance" with interest fees. Funds will be debited from your primary checking account linked to your Check Card and any Wells Fargo fees incurred will be reimbursed.

If you have Internet access, please use the international ATM locator on Visa.com to locate a Visa member bank near you.

Sincerely,
Wells Fargo
Online Customer Service

Wells Fargo can help you avoid fraud and identity theft. To learn more, go to wellsfargo.com/privacy_security/fraud_prevention/

billboos

I second what SJC1K states. I have a WF PMA account and WF waives ATM overseas fees. I wanted to add that my WF ATM works in every country I have tried except Poland in Krakow and successful tries include Greece, Czech Rep, Argentina, Hungary, Latvia, Mexico as well as western Europe countries. They do charge 3% on foreign Visa credit card transactions but that's another story and I'm still looking for a card that waives that.

nako

Since I don't qualify for a PMA account, my trick when I go overseas has been to preload my PayPal account with money, then use the ATM card to withdraw the cash when I need it. There is a per-withdrawal fee of $1, so I get the chance for savings in addition to not having to switch banks.

Mike

RustyC

My suggestion would be to open a separate account with an online bank like State Farm Bank (affiliated with the insurance company). They require only a $100 minimum balance to avoid fees. On ATMs, they'll issue you an ATM card that is linked to the Plus system (mine has a 4-digit PIN).

You get unlimited ATM withdrawals anywhere in the world without a fee from the State Farm side, and they will rebate up to 5 surcharges at up to $1.50 each if there's a surcharge on the ATM side! (And sometimes from foreign ATMs in other currencies you get rebates even if there isn't a surcharge). Not only that, but they don't add a "conversion fee," so you get the true rate.

As with any online bank, the main drawback is not being able to deposit in person, but if you mail in a deposit they send you a postpaid envelope for your next one along with the receipt, and the accounts also can accept electronic transfers from the likes of PayPal.

My credit union is the second best deal: 5 "free" withdrawals a month (75 cents each afterward) and a 1% conversion slug.

Any fees like the Wells Fargo $5 for ATM withdrawals outside the U.S. are totally invented and not supported by any real cost basis.

Pismocrab

I'm going to guess, given the avalanche of news lately about Citi and other banks shutting down cards due to massive card security breeches, that the OP may be one of the accounts at risk among many. Not necessarily this particular episode, but they are going on all the time and inconvenience to travelers is just one of the many problems people are trying to deal with.

tom911

Just noticed that on my New Zealand trip. On the first couple transactions in February they credited me $1.50, but somehow when March rolled around they didn't credit me anything for transactions in the new month. Can't really complain, though, as none of the ATM's there had any charges. Imagine they'll get the glitches fixed down the line and we'll only get the credit when it's really due.

strelley

I have a Wells Fargo Visd Debit card,and having using it in Brasil,as I live there ,with little problems for the past 5 years other than them blocking the account every now and then and I have to call their fraud dept.to unblock it.However,for the past 2 weeks now the card will not function at all.They replaced the card saying it must be damaged,no difference,then they blamed the CVV number,saying Brasil has changed to 4 digit CVV, this was untrue.They now inform me Visa is having programming problems with thier CVV.I cannot use the card anywhere,only Bradesco seem to accept the card.Anybody else having problems.

lhrsfo

Although Wells Fargo is meant to be a big bank, they tend to behave like a one branch local bank - this, and the fact that their internet banking is someone printing out a check and mailing it, simply demonstrate that it's stuck in the stagecoach era.

chrisl137

Like many others, I've used my WF ATM card in other countries with no difficulty. I used it in Canada for years when my partner was there, and most recently I used it in Iceland and Greenland without trouble when it turned out many CC terminals were chip only and that was the only chip card I had. In Iceland and Greenland I never used it in an ATM-- I used it as a debit/credit card and never touched any cash in either country for the whole trip.

abmj-jr

Ten year-old thread? Really?