Originally Posted by
Nanook
I was just on the CruiseCritic message boards and someone there reported using his ATM in Venice and a few hours later it was used in Rome. His suggestion was NOT to use ATMS outside the bank, use the ones inside. I didn't know there were ATMS inside the bank...is this pretty much true for all banks in Rome (where we will be going in October)?
ATM theft is not restricted to Italy. Here's something I just found that might help you:
How to Avoid ATM Scam or ATM Theft
And yes, it's always safer to use an ATM that's inside a bank vs on the street, whether you're in Venice California or Venice Italy. You're safer from thieves that may be watching you and will then follow you to rob you, and the machines themselves are less likely to be tampered with. But again, this is nothing specific to Italy.
Regarding ATMs in Rome, you'll see many banks have their ATMs set up in secure vestibules -little glass-enclosed rooms like big phone booths - requiring you to first use your ATM card to enter this secure area from the street, and then the space itself is very secure and highly monitored. I would use those types especially if it was late at night, or I've used ones right on the street in areas that to me seemed safe (and the "safe" aspect I determined in the same way I would at home in Los Angeles), so I've never had to go inside a bank in Rome. I also think it's advisable, as a general rule and not specific to Italy, to use ATMs during banking hours so that if something does malfunction you can rectify the problem on the spot (i.e. if your card gets chewed up in the machine).