What happens when cash machine swallows you card?

Someone who works in a bank might know the answer to this one.

Last night my husband tried to withdraw some money from a Clydesdale Bank machine but just as he put his card in the screen flashed acouple of times and then a message about it being out of order came up. He couldn't get his card out. A similar thing happened to me, about 4-5 years ago with a Lloyds machine and I was able to go into the branch concerned and they retrieved the card and gave it back to me. So, I told him that's what he should do but when he went there today they told him any cards swallowed by the machine are destroyed for security purposes! Then he went to our own bank (RBS) to order a new card and was told there, yes all the banks destroy swallowed cards now, it's a security thing.

So, was I just lucky or is this a new bank industry wide policy that has been introduced in the last 5 years?

must be a new thing...i worked at a US bank a few years ago and we just returned the cards to the owners (after checking id, etc.)

A machine ate my card in October and I was told the same thing.  I was sent a new one in a few days. 

Is it a post 9/11 thing? Security is so much tighter now.

That's what I'm wondering but I also want to know how they can destroy the card if it's from another bank ... it's not their property. 

I do think most get destroyed any more.  A friend had his swallowed by the machine like 1999, and he got his back, but my dad got his eaten last year, and I think they destroyed his.  It's really inconvenient for my dad as he always seems to forget his code!   

I believe it was a policy even before 9/11.  It certainly happened to me in 2000 when an Abbey ATM swallowed the card and they refused to return it.

I worked at a bank for years and we were always told to tell the customer that the machine destroys the card. Really the card just went into a box and we would take them out and cut them up when we balanced the machine. Every once in awhile they would open the machine and get it out for the customer.

I know its a pain, but its really for your own safety. I've never worked for a bank in the UK, but there is a TON of bank fraud in the US and most people don't even realize the kind of stuff that goes on....till it happens to them.

THis happened to me (actually I left my card in the machine and luckily it ate it after 30 seconds) and was told my card was destroyed.

I think that's the best thing anyway, because who knows what could happen. 

THis happened to me (actually I left my card in the machine and luckily it ate it after 30 seconds) and was told my card was destroyed.

I think that's the best thing anyway, because who knows what could happen. 

I remember going through a drive-thru atm once where the person before me had forgotten to take their card.  The machine didn't take it back in after a few minutes so I took it into the bank and turned it in.  Weird thing was the teller gave me the weirdest look, as if she couldn't believe i brought it in. 

One of three things should happen to the card

• It can be returned if it was issued by the same bank that swallowed the card i.e Barclays Connect and Barclays ATM
  
  
• If you lost your card while using a Link machine from a diffrent bank its destroyed no "ifs or buts". Its a national agreement between all of the organisations of the Link network
  
  
• If it's an international card it can be returned subject to identification if you're quick (same business day)

It's not a post 9/11 things. Retention of cards has happened for the 19 years that I've worked in banking. Normally a client will take too long to make a decision and the ATM will hold the card, just in case the client has wandered off (believe me it happens) also cards can be retained for account performance, attempted fraud or if they have been reported stolen.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the definitive answer grumpylad. I must have been lucky that time when my RBS card was swallowed by a Lloyds machine.    It is just a pain because whenever my husband has requested a new Swtich card it has taken weeks and weeks and several requests before he gets one. I don't know why, because I never have a problem and it's the same account. 

This happened to me when I was visiting here in 2001. I had my card taken and went into the bank and they gave it back after much explaning. I thought it was fine and then went to another bank machine and it took it. When I rang my US bank, they said it would most likely be destroyed and when I asked the bank that swallowed the card, it's what they confirmed. A nuisance yes but standard practice it seems

That's what I'm wondering but I also want to know how they can destroy the card if it's from another bank ... it's not their property.

It's quite probably in the Visa/MasterCard/Cirrus/whatever agreement between all the participating banks.  15+ years ago I had a credit-card merchant account for sales and services.   There was a clause that should an authorization call return a "Retain card" result that I should cut the card in half and return it to my card center.

   This happened to me coming in at the airport from the States from Christmas break...The machine wasn't out of the order but it took my bank card and told me to contact my bank.  I went straight to the bank after I left the airport     There was no real reason it took my card...they said something about i need to update my address.  I had to wait a week for a new card to come in...and on top of that they sent my new pin number to my U.S. address???