Any ATM could malfunction and eat your card or debit your account and not dispense your cash. Getting your card or money back while traveling off the beaten track in a foreign country could be a big problem or even impossible.

When using an ATM machine in rural Indonesia taking some extra precautionary measures is highly recommended.

Safety tips for using an ATM in Sumatra

• Only use an ATM after you've seen someone make a successful transaction.
• Take a video while you make the entire transaction. Including receiving the final receipt and counting your cash.
• If the transaction fails and you lose your card or money:
  • Take note of the:
    1. Bank or company that manages the ATM.
    2. ATM location and ATM machine number.
    3. Time transaction was made.
  • Keep your receipt.
  • If the ATM eats your card. Put a block on your card asap.

Will you get your card or money back ?

Inshallah.

If the ATM ate your card you will have to go to the bank that operates the ATM. You will be require to provide, personal ID and evidence that you are the card owner. The whole process could take 2 or 3 working days.

If the ATM did not give you any cash there is little point in contacting the Indonesian bank that operates the ATM machine as they will just tell you to contact your bank. In this case the chances of getting your money back will depend entirely on the efforts of your bank and the quality of the evidence you supplied them.

If your bank considers your evidence sufficient they will initiate a formal fund recovery process called a chargeback. This process will take 35 days or more.