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Pro tip: Never rely on the ATM at a gas station in Chicago
I was at a BP on Lake Street in Chicago at 11pm last month trying to get $60 cash. The machine took my card, showed an error, and gave me nothing back. I called my bank right there and they said a pending charge showed up but the machine never finalized. Took 5 days and 3 phone calls to get my money unfrozen. Anyone else avoid those standalone ATMs now?
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mason8475mo ago
That shell station hold story is exactly why I started keeping a $50 emergency bill in my phone case now. Learned that lesson the hard way after my bank flagged my card for fraud and I had zero cash for two days.
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andrew8545mo ago
Used to be the type who figured it was just convenience store ATMs that were sketchy, but a bank-branded one at a Shell station near O'Hare did the same thing to me last year. Held my card for a full five minutes before spitting it back out with a "transaction canceled" message, yet somehow still put a $200 hold on my account. Took over a week and a visit to my local branch to get it cleared up. Now I only use the ones actually inside a bank lobby or a well-lit grocery store, no exceptions. The convenience just isn't worth the hassle of chasing down your money for days.
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