For the last couple of months we have been experiencing difficulties with Nationwide#s Visa Debit Card also but in SE Asia. I phoned Nationwide three times over this and got a different answer each time, reasons given included countries I visited were high on fraud list, my card being temporarily restricted also due to no cash being withdrawn and a few days ago I was asked to stick to International Banks like Citi and HSBC as there ATM's are Chip & Pin enabled.

The lady we spoke to on the most recent phone call was also very helpful and we actually managed to make a withdrawal just after our phone call. We are relying on our monthly income for living expenses and if this problem does not get fixed soon we will have to open local Citibank accounts here so money can be transferred from the UK. So it appears that the problem may not just be with Mastercard then, I am happy that Visa & Mastercard do take action by limiting possible fraudulent transactions but it seems to be going too far now.

I wonder is this same problem happening with other British Bank ATM Card users, would be interesting to find out but I have always let my card issuers know in advance where I am travelling to and for which dates

Latest news update - 'phoned Nationwide. Excellent woman (Thanks, Tracey) on customer services, despite the late hour.

Confirmed yes, there are current problems worldwide in using NW cashcards in ATMs. It is because Mastercard/Cirrus are globally in the middle of updating all their ATMs. NW have no control over Mastercard (presumably they as many others are tied into a contract). The problems seem not to be software-based, but network-based - I assume as they upgrade sections they switch off and on parts of the network, which will have a domino effect and block communications. (Techies can correct me but I think that's the gist of it.) NW's latest update from Mastercard was as far back as May. Not good enough, but not NW's fault.

In addition, my card (but not my husband's) had just been "restricted" - on the grounds that it kept on being put into different ATMs but without cash being withdrawn....... (Grrrrrrrrrrrr.) The fraud/restrictions team had been in an emergency meeting for 3 hours (and as she and I spoke) which was expected to last until 11.00pm. (Presumably because all of us frustrated NW ATM attempters abroad had been restricted, and someone bright somewhere realised something was wrong?)

She promised someone would phone back. In fact, she did herself, 2 minutes afterwards - fraud team out of meeting - my card now de-restricted - still be hiccup problems with non-uk ATMs for a few months though.

At least we know what's going on now. But yes, watchdog or moneybox should take it up. Mastercard is the enemy though, not Nationwide.

Any more thoughts, out there?

Same in Greece, same problems with both my and husband's cards for some 3 months now. For the first year, wonderful - worked every time. His stopped working first, in March. Then mine. Off and on, sometimes one works, sometimes the other, sometimes one works in one bank's machine but not in the next bank's down the road. Husband reported problem, advised to and did order new card - same problem.

Tried in main town, in village, and in northern Greece, same problem.

Have lived in same village for 5 years, never any problems until 3 months ago (except when machines out of cash).

Last week mine worked, his didn't. Then his worked, and mine didn't.

This evening we tried both cards in 3 separate banks' machines, each time message saying "Card invalid - contact your provider". But strangely, the Co-op card worked every time...

Message - don't depend on Nationwide card alone if you're going abroad. Why ffs don't they sort it?

Well all I can say is exactly the same here in Greece , a failure of my old card two days before expiry at the end of March......left with no access to my cash......then the new card would not work. Obtain a third card which was OK in other locations then BANG failure in Greece again. now I have the same problem no access to my cash at all ATM's that I have tried. Beware also that if you try over three times at the same bank the machine WILL swallow your card it happened to me in April.

Several error messages occur. you may get any one of these

Temporarily unable to deal with your transaction

Refer to your bank

Wrong PIN entered =======even if its correct!

No help from Nationwide, as previous postings have stated they do not understand or seem to be worried over the situation, and its cost me a fortune in overseas calls , up to ten phonecalls lasting nearly an hour since the problem first started.

Wait till this gets on BBC's Watchdog, or has it been aired already?

The only bank to offer this service, no commision, no fee on overseas transactions to its customers and it don't work

totaly skint n fed up in Greece

Hi

I was in Southern Ireland in May. I tried my Nationwide Flexaccount card in five different ATM of three different banks in three town and each time the transaction failed. I phoned Nationwide Customer Services early on but they said everything was ok. After phoning them a third time I was given a hint that there was a problem with the Cirrus/Mastercard system. I found out that the money was debited from my account and immediately credited back again. It is a horrifing situation where as far as Nationwide are concerned the money has left my account. If it was not re-credited I would have been in a situation in a foreign country trying to prove I had not received any money from the ATM.

I wrote to Nationwide and got a letter offering to compensate me for the cost of my phone calls. Still no proper explaination. I wrote again and got confirmation that there was a problem with the Cirrus/Mastercard system at some ATMs but as far as Nationwide was concerned it was not their problem. I have now applied for and received the Fleaccount debit card - I note the Cirrus symbol is not on the new card. Hope it works. Nationwide come clean with your customers!

Hi,

I'm a student planning on travelling around Eastern Europe in a few weeks.

I've heard about these Nationwide problems and am seriously worried. I've tried repeatedly to call the Nationwide and extract some information about the issue, but I feel those in the service centre known little more than we do, just saying that their has been no update on their information system, but they were aware there were/is a problem - none could confirm whether it was still occuring, Can anyone help on the front for a start...?

Any information anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

Hi

Further to our stream of correspondence about ATM's in the czech republic not being able to process cash withdrawal transactions using the Nationwide's cash card, it would now seem that as of yesterday May 26th, the last remaining bank here CITIBANK (whose ATM's continued to process these transactions over the past two months) has now fallen prey to the same fault and the cash card will not work in these cash machines either.

Yesterday when I tried to make a withdrawal the ATM told me

THIS ATM DOES NOT SUPPORT YOUR CARD

Interestingly however the transaction was not processed at all and unlike attempted withdrawals from other ATM's here no withdrawal and correction appeared on the statement.

I did ring the Nationwide yesterday to advise that this development had taken place but even though the person I spoke to did have some knowledge of the issue, they simply read a prepared statement which said that there was a code fault issue on the CIRRUS system and Mastercard weer working to correct this.

I unfortunately sensed no urgency in the NW's attitude and really after 3 months now its crazy that nothing has been sorted. I am sure:

1] This is linked to their change of policy on passing on the charges for withdrawals,

2] That this move required some system changes at their end and with VISA and MASTCARD-CIRRUS,

3] That it is strange how this problem has spread to each Czech bank slowly but with a degree of certainty,

4] That there is too much coincidence between these problems occuring and their policy change,

5] That if they were charging a fee, this problem would be resolved instantly!

lanchutt:

I live in Budapest and am having this same problem? I contacted Nationwide and they told me to just keep trying. I have, but it won't work on any machine. I thought it was a problem with the card so got reissued with a new one, but have not been able to withdraw money since 20th March.

Has anybody heard any updates?

Same problem here. Except I managed to get money out at the OTP machines in Rakoczi Ter and Szena Ter. Have a go.

Have heard a report of an ATM user in mainland Greece having problems with a Nationwide Account but seems to be an isolated incident................hope so as it has taken us til now to get round to having one for holiday money (no commission, no charges in Europe).........it would be just our luck for it not to work when we are there!!!!!

Well

A month after reporting the problem to the Nationwide, the red cash card I possess still does not work in the majority of ATM's in the Czech Republic, and I have not heard anything back from Nationwide to say that they are keeping any kind of pressure on CIRRUS to resolve what is clearly a software issue.

Anyone else had problems? or better luck?

Thanks

S

Probably not much help, but my card is working well here in Vietnam....and was working fine in Bangkok last week.

I live in Budapest and am having this same problem? I contacted Nationwide and they told me to just keep trying. I have, but it won't work on any machine. I thought it was a problem with the card so got reissued with a new one, but have not been able to withdraw money since 20th March.

Has anybody heard any updates?

Tried mine at a cashpoint today and it worked all of a sudden. I had tried so many I really didn't expect it to. The lady at Nationwide had promised to call me back when the situation was resolved, but she never did. I think the trick is to try it at lots of different banks, though having said that I had been denied at the same bank only yesterday.

Best wishes with your predicament. Seems that any positive outcomes will have nothing to do with Nationwide's input though.

David.

David

This is exactly what is happening in the Czech Republic. The identical same thing.

I rang the Nationwide last night and today as a way forward I tried to open a new flex account with a VISA card. I explained the context and that I did not want an overdraft, just a new account but with a VISA card as I thought this could become a back up. The application was refered!

So when I tried to explain the need to speak to their IT gurus the person I was speaking to did not understand.

The person I spoke with last night did not understand at all. But I am going to pursue this ASAP.

I hope more people react as then the nationwide might actually get moving especially with people going away for Easter.

I am in Poland, Krakow, just spent an afternoon going between cashpoints and banks getting 'transaction denied' messages and bemused expressions from bank staff. Called Nationwide, as you say they seem pretty unconcerned about it, despite having told me categorically in London that I would be able to withdraw money in Poland.

Bad form from Nationwide. About to be penniless.

David