Locked my bank card!

rawn

Hi!

My dad (the beautiful mind that he is) accidentally entered my pin number wrong too many times yesterday and the card is now locked. I went down to the bank today and the teller told me to go to the atm outside and unlock it there. I tried this several times but it kept saying "this service is not available". I went back in to the bank and spoke to another (extremely rude!) teller who said she couldn't do anything about it, that I have to keep trying the atm because a customer had used it a few minutes ago and it was fine, then when I said I had JUST tried the outside atm several times and that's what it said, she said I must be doing it wrong. I explained each step I took and she said "oh well the you need to wait for the system to update itself, could take a minute could take an hour, but I can't fix it for you". I've tried several times since then to unlock it at the atm and it keep saying it's unavailable.

My question is - does anyone know if my lockout is timed? I think it was locked between 12 and 2pm yesterday. Or do I need to go down to the bank again and insist they help me, or just keep trying the atm?

coylemj

You need to phone their central support number and see if they can unlock it. I seriously doubt that you can do anything with an ATM at this stage. You may need to get a new card.

The branches really have no function in relation to ATM cards, I wouldn't have gone next or near a branch with your problem.

Phone them.

Kyle More

When the PIN count has been exceeded it usually remains locked for 24 hours. Once you know the correct PIN you should be able to unlock it once the time has elapsed. Failing that, request that the bank send you a PIN reminder.

rawn

Thanks all.

I have the correct pin and it has been more than 24 hours and it's still locked! I'll try an atm again tomorrow and if that doesn't work I'll ask for a new pin

Mrs OBumble

You may also need to explain to them why you shared your PIN with someone else. Your account may have been flagged if they copped that this happened.

cml387

Your card has been disabled. It's a security measure. You need a new card and new pin.

rawn

Mrs OBumble wrote:

You may also need to explain to them why you shared your PIN with someone else. Your account may have been flagged if they copped that this happened.

Ah now. My dad taking out 20e at an atm i use all the time is hardly going to make a blip on their radar!

cml387 wrote:

Your card has been disabled. It's a security measure. You need a new card and new pin.

Damn. Seems a bit overkill! The fact that I was in the bank with my ID in hand should have been enough, it's madness that a new card is needed. They also didn't mention that when I was in the bank yesterday, they just kept telling me to go to the atm to unlock it.

Now that i think of it, why didn't the atm swallow my card? That's what happened the last time i entered my pin wrong too many times (this was probably about 10 years ago) and all i had to do was collect it from my branch after a few days with my id.

cml387

Actually, if your card has not been seized by the machine you may be able to unlock it. It depends on who you are banking with.

coylemj

You still haven't phoned them? You're asking questions on an internet forum, we don't which bank you're with yet you expect us to provide you with the information that your own bank will give if you just call them.

There are plenty of reasons why they may not unlock the card, you could have stolen the card from someone who uses it now and again and who hasn't yet noticed that it is missing.

rawn

coylemj wrote:

You still haven't phoned them? You're asking questions on an internet forum, we don't which bank you're with yet you expect us to provide you with the information that your own bank will give if you just call them.

There are plenty of reasons why they may not unlock the card, you could have stolen the card from someone who uses it now and again and who hasn't yet noticed that it is missing.

I fail to see why calling them will garner me more information than what I was given by physically going into the branch, who told me to use the atm. Any issues regarding whether i was holding a stolen card or not could surely be sorted easier in person where they can physically see me with my id rather than over the phone, with only my answers to prove my identity?

And it's Ulster Bank, sorry forgot to include that in my OP

coylemj

rawn wrote: »

I fail to see why calling them will garner me more information than what I was given by physically going into the branch, who told me to use the atm.

Yes indeed, they told you to use the ATM - and you got nowhere. And you have made no progress since.

Branches have nothing to do with ATM cards, the people you dealt with just wanted to get rid of you, they clearly hadn't a clue.

rawn wrote: »

Any issues regarding whether i was holding a stolen card or not could surely be sorted easier in person where they can physically see me with my id rather than over the phone, with only my answers to prove my identity?

The people in the branch don't know who you are and couldn't care less.

You need to get real here, branches these days are full of yellow-pack and temporary staff. Nobody who is anybody deals with walk-in customers unless they have pots of money to invest. If you want some assistance, you phone them.

rawn

Finally got to call them there (first time that I've been able to call where I wasn't on a crowded bus or walking through town). He said once it's ATM locked I need to go to the branch to unlock it (!). The only way to unlock it over the phone was for him to post me out a new pin, which will take a week, but if I know my pin (which I do) I can use my card again after midnight tonight. Seems like a waste of paper to me but sure, it's sorted now Thanks all for the advice!