Biiiiink

You take cash out on credit card?

Dead right, It's not going to suit everyone, and for others it's no problem. I just think they should make it a bit plainer that you can't use the card outside of Canada, I only knew of it from dbd33 mentioning it in here recently.

If they hadn't ballsed up my transfer so completely I'd have been cash-less abroad and pretty furious about it.

sysclp

Even if it did work in the US, you would find yourself very unhappy with all the extra charges added on for the currency exchange. Scotia debit cards are supposed to work for US debit purchases now as well as the ATMs, but the fees are ridiculous. Makes me glad I still have a US checking account and debit/Visa card to use there since I travel there a lot.

Biiiiink

Mr B uses his Scotia card for debit in the US, he didn't get charged a fee, just the exchange rate conversion which I can't remember but seemed pretty fair.

I meant I thought it was a real swizz that the PC Financial checking card/ATM card cannot be used to take cash out outside of Canada, they don't belong to Cirrus/Plus or any other network, and they don't make it clear in their literature that you can't use it at all to access your funds abroad.

sysclp

It may be that you have a different type of account at Scotia than we do, maybe a higher level one since ours is just the basic banking. I remember the letter they sent saying it was a percentage charge on each use. It really sucks that PC doesn't even have an option to use it! I know I hate the machines at the CNE here because they have the wrong networks for my card so I can't use it there. It works at all the banks here but not the kiosk type machines at the CNE or other places where they bring them in for special events.

iaink

According to the PC FAQ...

Can I withdraw money outside of Canada?
You can withdraw money from most bank machines outside of Canada. Charges for withdrawals through these bank machines are currently $3.00 per withdrawal. Some bank machines may levy additional surcharges. In addition, you will be charged the amount we are required to pay to buy the foreign currency, plus a fixed rate charge of 2.5% of the converted amount.

So maybe the better question is to find out how you do that, and why you (or dbd) have not been able to.

Personally I try not to use cash. Ill take some with me, if I use it all and need some more...and can remember my PIN, then Ill use the CC, but prefer not to for obvious interest reasons. Now I know I can use my PC debit card, Ill try that instead.

To be honest I have never tried to use my interac card abroad, hence I never mentioned it. It never occured tome that it would work as I have only ever seen interac in Canada. I live in canada, bank in canada and only go to the US a couple of times a year (if that), so it never occured to me that it was an important consideration.

When I've had to I've used a credit card anyway, and the overall cost was far less than the ludicrous monthly charges and/or lost interest that would result from having a "regular" account.

If I went to the states often enough that it was a concern I would open a seperate US currency account with a "mainsteam" bank, in order to avoid the exchange rate pallaver, and I would pay for it per transaction I guess.

Biiiiink

Ahh, that's certainly possible as it's a business account he's got with them. I'm seriously considering swapping to Scotia for use of the US debit network amongst other things but will ask about charges for that on a non-business account before I do now you've drawn my attention to it

Iain, thanks for link, interesting! I haven't ever tried to withdraw money outside Canada with PC F - they messed up my transfer and I didn't ever get as far as getting cash into my new accounts. I have the card still though, and there is no logo on the back apart from Interac and "Direct Payment" (which I don't even know what it is -anyone know?). I had a current account and a savings account with them, it's a silver card. Don't know if yours is different? Given what dbd33 said and the lack of logos on the card, I took it as fact that it wouldn't work at an ATM outside Canada. I'd be interested to know if they're with Cirrus or Plus or whoever, but not interested enough to try and sort out my accounts with them if they're not already dormant It's not just US ATM/debit I want, I go to the UK a few times a year, winter holiday... I need to know I can access paper money wherever I am although like you I don't use a lot of it

iaink

Sounds just like mine. I imagine they have the same agreements as CIBC, as they are the same group. (CIBC says "look for the Plus logo", althogh in the small print it say "plus and other networks"..without specifying the "others")

The "direct payment" is just in reference to the interac logo I think, in case you didnt know what it was???

Best bet is probably to call and ask. Then call and ask again later to see if you get the same info twice

Biiiiink

If that's right, the cheapskates should put the relevant logo on their card so customers know which machines to use! Dbd33, did you try a Cirrus-only machine then?

iaink

I dunno, just makes sense to me as PC / Amicus is all under the CIBC umbrella

Maybe they dont want to publicise it, or its part of the cut price service agreement to keep schtum so people dont leave CIBC in droves?

Then again CIBC issues Visa cards and PC issues Mastercards, so perhaps all bets are off!

Souvenir

Scotia and Barclays are in an alliance. I use my Barclays Connect card quite often in Scotia ATMs. I imagine it works just as easily the other way round, although I've never tried it.

dbd33

Dunno. I stuck it in the machine at the Denver airport. Nothing happened so I used the TD one.

Biiiiink

What's amicus? I'm thinking of the UK union but guessing you don't mean that?

Biiiiink

Exactly. If it had had a logo, you'd have figured the problem out. Probably

iaink

Amicus Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. It used to oversee the PC bank business (but not anymore I think), and all the non CIBC or PC cash machines that PC customers can use for free are marked Amicus... like the one in the local Mac store, or the Gas station.

dbd33

Perhaps, if helped. I can't say that access to bank machines in the US matters very much to me; most everywhere takes Amex anyway and the hotel will always provide cash against the bill.