Oh my God! I lost my ATM!

[Master Moron]

So, before I went to work I stopped by my bookstore to buy my books. I was planning on charging the books to my bursar's account, but they told me that I can't do that till Friday. Since I had classes on Monday I didn't want to wait that long since I might have assignments that I needed to do. Anyway, I told them I would run to the ATM outside. So, I took out three hundred dollars and took my receipt and purchased my books. Several hours later I came home from work, I took my keys and wallet out of my pocket and as I always do I checked my wallet to make sure I wasn't missing any cards. I then realized I didn't have my ATM! I walked back to the ATM to see if by some amazing string of luck it was still in the machine, but as I expected, it wasn't.

I went home and called to cancel my card. They say that I have to call customer service during business hours to see if anyone else has used my card. I'm kind of freaking out about this. You'd figure that if an honest person found it, they would have called me about it by now. But, since they didn't, I'm going to assume some individual has my card and is planning nefarious uses for it. Most ATM cards have limits on the amount of money you can take out at a time, and they wouldn't have my pin so I hope that I didn't get any money stolen, but I'm on a pretty tight budget as it is. The thought of having money stolen really scares me.

This is really unusual for me. I almost never lose any type of card. I don't know how I could be so stupid. I guess it's because I usually use an ATM where you just swipe the card. Also, don't most ATMs not give you the receipt until you take your card? When the receipt came out I think it gave a signal to my brain that I was all set, and I completely forgot about the card.

[DarthGonzo]

This has happened to me before but I'll never understand people who use this section of the forums as some sort of diary.

[Master Moron]

This has happened to me before but I'll never understand people who use this section of the forums as some sort of diary.

I usually don't, but I've noticed that I've made two threads that start with the phrase "Oh my God" in the past year. Basically, I'm freaking out and need someone to either give me some advice or say something to calm me down. See, if I lived with someone else I would probably just freak out in front of them, but I don't. So, since there's no one to freak out in front of, I need to take my freaking out to the internet. Besides, it's probably better to freak out on the internet rather than in real life, that way no one in real life thinks I'm an idiot for losing my card.

So, anyway, what happened when your card got stolen? Your story may calm me down, or possibly freak me out more.

[Kagetsu]

It's because people like to share their fears and hopes.

Unless you were fool enough to leave your pin with the card, it should be useless to anyone else. Even honest people are unlikly to go to the trouble of tracking you down to return it.

[DarthGonzo]

So, anyway, what happened when your card got stolen? Your story may calm me down, or possibly freak me out more.

Well when I discovered my ATM card was gone, naturally the ATM critters were the first to know. Moaning their almost inhuman shouts of "No ATM! No ATM" they crawled out of the muffler pipe of my car, subdued me and carried me to a secluded spot behind the local King Kullen, where they dressed me as Alfalfa from the Little Rascals, doused me in tainted milk and then...

Well no, that's not true. I ran home, immediately cancelled the card and had a new one sent to me which arrived about 3 days later. Without the card I just withdrew enough cash to last me a few days before the new card arrived.

[Master Moron]

It's because people like to share their fears and hopes.

Unless you were fool enough to leave your pin with the card, it should be useless to anyone else.

Cool, but there's no way they could have immediately used it again without retyping in the pin number right? I've noticed that a lot of ATM machines ask if you want another transactionafter you've completed one. I've never actually wanted to do another transaction before so I don't know if you need to retype your pin number in or not. If the card is already in the machine and I typed in the pin again would another person have to type it in again to get more money?

Even honest people are unlikly to go to the trouble of tracking you down to return it.

Really, that's interesting, because I sometimes find people's cards and stuff in the laundry machine and I always look up their number and try to get in touch with them, actually, at this very moment I am in posession of someone's Bally Total Fitness card. Not nearly as valuable as an ATM, but nevertheless I looked up their number. Their answering machine was full, so I e-mailed them and gave them my number. They still haven't contacted me though and it's been over a week, so I'm thinking that they probably don't care about it.

[DarthGonzo]

Cool, but there's no way they could have immediately used it again without retyping in the pin number right?

RELAX! In all seriousness there's a very, very, VERY slim chance anyone used your card.

[Discloner]

In the unlikely case that someone is running around with your card; the bank will likely track down the person and prosecute them. Its logged to the bank whenever you use your card, where you used your card and how much was widthdrawn...so if they know you're not taking the money out - they'll know where to find the person and put a stop to their shadiness.

[EinBebop]

This has happened to me before but I'll never understand people who use this section of the forums as some sort of diary.Suddenly, the "Soda Machine ate my dollar" post I was about to make seems trivial.

[Lord Dalek]

Jeez what bank do you use Master Moron? When I've lost my card(s) Wells Fargo has been pretty prompt to cancel them.

[Master Moron]

Well, I called today and they said they're going to send me a new one. They also said no one has taken out any money since my withdrawal yesterday. Thank goodness. By the way, is there any way to change my pin, just to be cautious?

[Lord Dalek]

Well, I called today and they said they're going to send me a new one. They also said no one has taken out any money since my withdrawal yesterday. Thank goodness. By the way, is there any way to change my pin, just to be cautious?Yeah just take it to the bank and ask to change it. You can also do it at the ATM itself.

[Discloner]

Well, I called today and they said they're going to send me a new one. They also said no one has taken out any money since my withdrawal yesterday. Thank goodness. By the way, is there any way to change my pin, just to be cautious?When they send you a new card - they should also be sending you a new PIN. You can likely change the number in any ATM.

I lost the PIN to my new Debit card last year, and the bank just reset it for me, then told me to use the ATM in the lobby to change it to something I'd prefer.

[Ajax]

This happened to me in June, and I didn't notice until a week later. I seriously thought I was screwed but remembered that it was my ATM card and its useless without the pin. I'd say the only time you should ever freak out is when your credit card gets lost.

[Master Moron]

This happened to me in June, and I didn't notice until a week later. I seriously thought I was screwed but remembered that it was my ATM card and its useless without the pin. I'd say the only time you should ever freak out is when your credit card gets lost.

Well, I don't have a credit card. My ATM card is also a debit card though, so it functions like a credit card...

[Ajax]

Well, I don't have a credit card. My ATM card is also a debit card though, so it functions like a credit card...Same here. The debit card is essentially your ATM card. Your debit card is really useless in the hands of any other person that isn't you.

[Shawn Hopkins]

Same here. The debit card is essentially your ATM card. Your debit card is really useless in the hands of any other person that isn't you.

If it's a debit card that can be used for credit purchases, like the kind with the Visa logo, that's not always true. There are some places with older style readers where they'll ask, "credit or debit?" In those situations an unscrupulous person could use it just like a credit card. They could also use it online with no hassles. Some readers automatically sense it's debit, though. I know the ones at Wal-Mart do.

I'm not saying this to scare anyone, but it is more dangerous to lose a debit card than an ATM card.