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Post by Eric on Jan 27, 2006 5:37:23 GMT -7
I still have over $10,000 in Bank of America from when I was in the United States. I've never had any problem using my ATM card from BoA to get money in Russia before from Russian ATMs. (The only downside is that BoA charges $5 for each transaction, so I get as much money as possible each time.)
Today, though, I noticed two problems. I placed an order with Amazon.com, who says that my card can't be charged. To make matters worse, the BoA website says it can't find my account.
This can not be good. I am hoping it's a temporarily glitch. I'm going to go to an ATM immediately after the internet to see if I can get money out. If I can, then fine, I won't worry about anything. If not, I'm going to find out whether BoA has a branch in Petersburg (if not, I'm going to Moscow) and I'm going to close the account and get all my money out of there and put it into a Russian bank. (Or keep it under my mattress... either alternative sounds good compared to not having access to it at all.)
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Post by gardenmoma on Jan 27, 2006 7:00:03 GMT -7
Eric,
Due to bank mergers here in the U.S., my accounts are now carried by BoA.
So, if there is anything I can do or anyway I may help, please let me know, probably best by private message.
Maybe I am naive, but I just found out with my last credit card statement that every time someone (like me!) charges a purchase in another country, there is a transaction fee added in. So, yes, by using a credit card the purchaser gets bank exchange rates, but also a tranaction fee!
How did I find this out? In my last statement, the transaction fee was seperated from the purchase of my item. I called and asked why now? I was assured that every credit card charges a transaction fee per prurchase, but this company has begun to seperate them out!
So...which is better for travelers...money (ie. Kantor) exchange in the country of travel, charge cards, or carry lots of American cash on one's person?
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piwo
Citizen of the World
Co Słychać?
Posts: 1,189
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Post by piwo on Jan 27, 2006 7:20:07 GMT -7
Was the item located in the States? Some sites won't ship certain items because of the whole VAT issue: buying something from USA and shipping it to another country.
Not sure if this is a reason, but I know others who tried to buy electronic items in USA and ship to Europe/Asia, but site wouldn't let the transaction go through. Just a thought.
And your right, inconvenient access to your money is not an acceptable situation.
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Post by suzanne on Jan 27, 2006 7:53:04 GMT -7
BoA recently merged with several banks (at least here in the Northeast) and there have been some slight glitches here and there.
BoA also recently changed the way to sign into one's account on the web - I had to go through an elaborate security process with new passwords and security questions, what a pain! So perhaps when it said it couldn't find your account, it really meant that your account couldn't be accessed until your security measures were updated. Were you able to successfully get money from an ATM?
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Post by jimpres on Jan 27, 2006 7:59:13 GMT -7
I have BoA and have not had any problems with getting money from the Bank o Mat in Poland. In fact I take little money to Poland and just use the ATM. I'm not sure the exchange rate is that good however. I think the Kantor's have a better rate.
Jim
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Post by kaima on Jan 27, 2006 9:10:26 GMT -7
I have BoA and have not had any problems with getting money from the Bank o Mat in Poland. In fact I take little money to Poland and just use the ATM. Jim I have had the same experience Jim. I use the money machines eerywhere adn it was quite good at 1$ or 1.50$ per exchange, but now VIsa has added a heafty surcharge and I am not sure... it seems $4 or $5 will now be the standard - making it much less attractive. Kai
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Post by gardenmoma on Jan 27, 2006 21:16:52 GMT -7
So...Kai, If I understand you correctly, the (hefty) exchange surcharge is something that (b)Visa(/b) has recently added...not something that has been incorporated into the ATM transaction or purchase transaction. My confusion isn't so much due to what you and Jim have written, but rather the feeling that we consumers are getting "fleeced" yet again.
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Post by Eric on Jan 29, 2006 5:09:00 GMT -7
I used to have Fleet Bank, but for about the past year or two years, it's been Bank of America. I know about the transaction fee from other countries - I found that out last time. It's something I can live with.
Currently, there is absolutely no access to my account from anywhere. I got a phone number and postal address to the bank, and so I'm going to send an express mail letter and give them a call tomorrow (Monday).
In the meantime, I'm screwed. No other way to put it. I have enough cash to last a couple of months. My parents, who are livid that I think Russia isn't a miserable place, aren't interested in helping me at all. If I can't get any money, then I will have to return to the U.S. soon... but HOW? I have no money to buy a ticket!
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Post by pieter on Jan 29, 2006 6:37:19 GMT -7
Eric,
I hope you find a way to solve your problems, is'nt the US consolate or Embassy able to help you out? Maybe they can be mediators? American friends of the Forum (Gardenmoma) could assist you? I know from some Duch expat friends how terrible money problems abroad can be. Once I was on vacation in South-Africa, and all my fathers bankcards and creditcards were blocked, leaving him in a very annoying and humiliating situation. South-African and Duch banks could'nt help him, and he really got agitated from the situation, because my parents had to stay for three months in South-Africa. The first week I paid for everything, fortunately in the second week everything was solved, and there was a problem with the machines. I really hop that you will get access to your BoA account soon.
Pieter
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nancy
European
Posts: 2,144
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Post by nancy on Jan 29, 2006 10:13:06 GMT -7
Forum member Jim has a daughter in St. Petersburg, if you need a contact. I think her husband is in the military.
Please keep us posted, hopefully things will be straightened out soon, but what a worrisome crisis!!
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Post by jimpres on Jan 29, 2006 12:40:23 GMT -7
Eric,
My daughter is in St Petes with her Marine husband. If you need help let me know and I will give you there address and phone.
Jim
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Post by gardenmoma on Jan 29, 2006 21:13:19 GMT -7
Eric,
Fleet merged with BoA...my checks still are the old Fleet ones, but so far are accepted.
However, there was a reissue of ATM cards with the BoA name on it...had to go through the telephone calling process to register the card. I really can't remember, as I use the ATM card so seldom, if the "new" BoA number was the same as the "old" Fleet number.
I am hopeful that after you make the contact via letter and telephone that it will turn out to be, as Suzanne speculated, just a glich.
Please keep us posted...
GM
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Post by Eric on Feb 1, 2006 6:49:30 GMT -7
Long story short, I got all my money back, except it took so many phone calls from Russia to Bank of America in the U.S. to get this done... it's like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Anyway, I'm getting my money out of there ASAP and opening up a bank account here in Petersburg, so that I can keep my money more under my control. The less I have to do with transatlantic business, the happier I'll be.
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Post by jimpres on Feb 2, 2006 12:28:27 GMT -7
Eric,
I'm glad you solved the money problem.
Jim
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Post by Jaga on Feb 2, 2006 12:42:34 GMT -7
Jim,
thank you so much for offering help to Eric. It is so nice of you! The world is so small!
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