Debit card usage and cell phone use of menu options

[Lucky °®ÈË]

I am in Nanning, Guangxi presently. Most people who have traveled to China probably know this. If you are new to China you may not know this.

 

I had a quite frustrating day today because of these two things:

 

1. You can use a US ATM card in most places in China. I have used mine in Shekou, ShenZhen and Nanning, Guangxi. But each place had its own limit for the withdrawal amount and number of withdrawals per day. Here in Nanning it is 1000 yuan limit per withdrawal and only two of these per day for a total of 2000 yaun in one day.

 

2. I also discovered when I tried call my bank in the US....of course the downfall of modern civilization, the wonderful phone menu option system...I could not make any use of it because apparently when you select a menu option the tone is recognized by the Chinese system as a new call and will get a Chinese error message.

 

What happened: I wanted to take out 4000 yuan today. I tried several times at an ATM but it said "invalid amount." So I tried at another bank. Because I tried this a number of times in succession my bank recognized this as "irregular card activity" and lock out the use of my card!

 

I checked my email and it told me to check my banking activity online and then call them to resolve it. I tried but could not use the menu options given because of the above no. 1. I had to call my Verizon agent and he had to call my bank for me and listen to the menu options and I had to tell him which one to press.....so frustrating!

 

Then I got a follow up call on my cell phone from the bank but it also involved menu options! So I did not know whether I could use my card or not. I had to call Verizon again!

 

Suffice to say I lost my temper with the second bank person....my bad....

 

I hope this saves at least ONE person from the frustration I had to deal with!

[Randy W]

I'm about 100 mi from you in Yulin, Guangxi - no problems. Bank of America and the China Construction bank allow $5000 dollar renminbies per day, with no fees. Chase and the ICBC have a similar arrangement.

 

For now, you're stuck with your current bank

 

Larger amounts need to be wired - try Xoom. You can probably wire yourself as much as you need that way @ $4.99 plus 1% on the conversion. Western Union allows an online transfer at a higher cost, but at least it would work.

 

Use Skype for your phone call - 2.1 cents per minute.

[Kyle]

Yup, that's what we do. Skype works with menu options, but you have to use the on screen dial pad.

[Batmaniac]

Did you call your bank before leaving the US and inform them that you will be overseas? I do this with credit cards and debit cards. Doesn't help you now, but I'd remind anyone traveling to do this.

Edited December 31, 2009 by Batmaniac (see edit history)

[david_dawei]

just my opinion; this is simply partly a case of bad planning. If one has been to china enough, they know various means of having cash available. One simple way is to simply send the lady money ahead of the trip so it is very easily retrieved. Another is you bring enough cash at the start and then withdraw ahead of time.

[mmpv]

I'm about 100 mi from you in Yulin, Guangxi - no problems. Bank of America and the China Construction bank allow $5000 dollar renminbies per day, with no fees. Chase and the ICBC have a similar arrangement.

 

For now, you're stuck with your current bank

 

Larger amounts need to be wired - try Xoom. You can probably wire yourself as much as you need that way @ $4.99 plus 1% on the conversion. Western Union allows an online transfer at a higher cost, but at least it would work.

 

Use Skype for your phone call - 2.1 cents per minute.

 

That's one of the few good things I have to say about Bank of America. Although, I did see varying daily limits early this year. Limit was about $3K/day in late March, then dropped mysteriously to about $2K/day in late April. All this was from the same branch. CCB in HK allowed as much as I needed no problem.

 

I wonder how much longer this free service will last for BOA since they sold a bunch of their stake in CCB to repay the feds.

[mmpv]

I am in Nanning, Guangxi presently. Most people who have traveled to China probably know this. If you are new to China you may not know this.

 

I had a quite frustrating day today because of these two things:

 

1. You can use a US ATM card in most places in China. I have used mine in Shekou, ShenZhen and Nanning, Guangxi. But each place had its own limit for the withdrawal amount and number of withdrawals per day. Here in Nanning it is 1000 yuan limit per withdrawal and only two of these per day for a total of 2000 yaun in one day.

 

2. I also discovered when I tried call my bank in the US....of course the downfall of modern civilization, the wonderful phone menu option system...I could not make any use of it because apparently when you select a menu option the tone is recognized by the Chinese system as a new call and will get a Chinese error message.

 

What happened: I wanted to take out 4000 yuan today. I tried several times at an ATM but it said "invalid amount." So I tried at another bank. Because I tried this a number of times in succession my bank recognized this as "irregular card activity" and lock out the use of my card!

 

I checked my email and it told me to check my banking activity online and then call them to resolve it. I tried but could not use the menu options given because of the above no. 1. I had to call my Verizon agent and he had to call my bank for me and listen to the menu options and I had to tell him which one to press.....so frustrating!

 

Then I got a follow up call on my cell phone from the bank but it also involved menu options! So I did not know whether I could use my card or not. I had to call Verizon again!

 

Suffice to say I lost my temper with the second bank person....my bad....

 

I hope this saves at least ONE person from the frustration I had to deal with!

 

There is usually a direct dialed number on the back of your ATM card that avoids the maze. If not, then on most AVR systems, they still support rotary phones, so just be patient and don't touch anything and eventually an operator from your bank will pick up and redirect you.

 

You can sign up for an unlimited domestic US outdial plan on skype for only a couple of bucks per month if you need touch tone service.

[Randy W]

Yup, that's what we do. Skype works with menu options, but you have to use the on screen dial pad.

 

 

. . . or the number keys (they work as long as the on screen pad is displayed)