Debit cards that work at ATMs in high risk countries
 

Can someone help me?

I need to find a bank that will allow me to easily withdraw funds using a debit card while traveling abroad. I have had Chase and Ally. Both banks have ignored my travel notifications and canceled cards on me due to suspicious activity simply because I traveled to a country where I added a travel notification and try to like - use a debit card to withdraw funds. I am so frustrated I want to pull my hair out. Chase is now refusing to add a travel notification to my account for any country which it considers high risk (which seems to be every country not found in North America and Europe). To date and many years of travel I have had zero incidents of actual fraud but I have had many painful phone calls, pleas, frozen accounts, and canceled debit cards.

Please, please, please tell me how to end this madness.

Bring cash? I now just plan for the ATM not working.

Seriously, the aggravation is just not worth it.

Schwab is the answer to your problems. No foreign transaction fees on ATMs abroad and all ATM fees (domestic and abroad) are reimbursed. I used my Schwab debit card on ATMs in Turkey and Georgia (the country) last summer without any hassles.

Schwab is your answer.

Banks Hate Me
 

or USAA if you are eligible to join

I've used Paypal for the last decade or so. I used to have similar problems, but after I notified them that I was ALWAYS traveling, no more problems.

Debit cards that work at ATMs in high risk countries
 

According to Chase the World Cup was hosted in a high-risk country. Imagine the nightmare for their customers.

why not just get a CC with no FTF?

This is one more reason EMV debit needs to happen soon. An EMV transaction is much lower risk.

I've had good luck with other credit unions, too, so you might try them if you're not.

Debit cards that work at ATMs in high risk countries
 

You can usually get a cash advance through a bank twller off your debit card without any fees.

I was in a chase branch and called Schwab needing to make a big ATM withdrawal to fund n account and get a counter check to pay for something else. They actually recommended getting cash over the counter withy my card as opposed to standing outside in front of a ATM and grabbing a large amount of cash for security reasons.

Can you be specific as to which high risk country?

There are some which won't work at all ( Iran ) and believe it or not japan ( mainly due to technical reasons )

I find a good method is to buy currency from my bank before I leave. Specifically, I have an account at Bank of America, and for a $7.50 fee they will convert currency before I leave. I believe they waive that fee if you convert more than $1000 USD.

I also bring some US$ along with me in cases of emergency. I don't want to bring my own ATM card with me on business trips to high risk countries because I don't like bearing that risk myself.

I love the Schwab ATM card. The only hassle I've ever had was in Guatemala when visa cut me off. I called Schwab and the agent worked with visa to let me get the $2500. I needed and then set my daily limit at $100. Since I could check the balance every day that wasn't too much of a risk for me

In Japan I've found Chase Bank locations work for US cards. Unfortunately there are very few, but there is one in Tokyo and it saved me years ago.