I travel all over the place with work and have had no problems using my cards in cash points in random bits of Asia, Africa, Europe, etc but can never get them to work in the USA, last time I was there they were all refused and I could only withdraw cash inside a bank by a rather convoluted process including being finger printed.

Anyone know why?

Americans. Was this your debit card? Americans don't really use debit as far as I could tell, credit cards work fine but it's entirely random where a debit card will work.

no probs when I was last there except actually asking where they were – blank looks when I asked for a cashpoint, eventually the woman said "You mean an Ay-Tee-Emm Sir?"

i've never had a problem with using them

when I was there recently all 3 of my cards (1x debit, 2 x credit cards) required me to call the provider in the UK and let them know that I was indeed travelling in the US before they would allow the cards to be used

once this was done no issues though

I used a drive through ATM last time I was there 😉

All the petrol pumps (esp in California) only take local cards – even credit cards so I just figure its the flat earth americans not realising there is something else beyond the 50 states…

All the petrol pumps (esp in California) only take local cards – even credit cards

Never been my experience.

Only thing I've had with my debit cards is you sometimes have to choose between a checking and savings and credit account because often US banks only issue 1 card even if you have multiple accounts.

All the petrol pumps (esp in California) only take local cards – even credit cards

Never been my experience.
Only thing I've had with my debit cards is you sometimes have to choose between a checking and savings and credit account because often US banks only issue 1 card even if you have multiple accounts.

I've never got a credit card (visa or MC), debit card or my FairFX card to work in a petrol pump – they'll take it over the counter & preload the pump with $50 but no way the pump would accept one. Have had the multiple account options on one card scenario too, often only checkin & savings, neither of which is correct.

I've had problems in Canada. When you use a card there it automatically gets a stop put on it by the card issuer (as apparently there is a lot of card fraud out of Canada)

Aware of this from our previous visit, this year we notified our credit card company (Egg) before we went that yes, we are in fact going to Canada.

They said basically "Thanks for letting us know. It will be noted on your file, but for fraud prevention reasons the card will be automatically stopped when you try and use it there and you'll have to call up to confirm."

Apparently you can't "confirm" in advance, even if you know the exact dates you'll be there 🙄

when I was there recently all 3 of my cards (1x debit, 2 x credit cards) required me to call the provider in the UK and let them know that I was indeed travelling in the US before they would allow the cards to be used

once this was done no issues though

Both my HSBC debit account and Capital One card require me to inform them if I'm going to be using the card abroad, even in Europe. I guess to reduce fraud.

Credit cards always worked for me over there, even in the ATMs in filling stations in the back end of Montana – never tried one in a pump though.

weird – maybe it's just me….

Will find out next week!

Neither of my debit cards worked in Canada earlier this year. Credit cards were fine though. Except at gas stations…

As mentioned probably depends on the bank and worth letting them know your going to allow it to be used.