ATM Swallowed Your Card in Bali? What to Do

If an ATM in Bali swallows your card, the first step is to block it through your issuing bank's app or the official number on the back of your card and on your bank's website, not to wait for the machine to "give it back". OJK guidance quoted by BCA asks for a report within 24 hours at most; transactions made before the card is blocked can end up being the cardholder's responsibility. For foreign cards the chance of getting the card back is small, so focus on blocking it and on backup cash.

The First Five Minutes

• Don't rush off, but don't accept help from strangers. A commonly reported trick: someone "helps" and asks you to type your PIN again while the card slot has been tampered with or filmed. Decline politely.
• Don't call a number stuck on the machine. Fake call-centre stickers are an old scam. Use the number from the back of a spare card, your banking app or your bank's official website.
• Block the card now. Most banking apps have a freeze or block button. If yours doesn't, call your bank's international emergency line.
• Write down the details: the bank that owns the ATM, the address or location name, the machine ID (usually a small sticker on the ATM), the time, and the name of the agent when you block the card. BCA and OJK recommend the same, plus a police loss report if the bank asks for one.

Contact the Bank That Owns the ATM

The bank whose ATM took your card should know, especially if the machine is inside a branch that is open. Official call centres of Indonesia's big banks:

• BCA: Halo BCA 1500888 (BCA stresses there is no 021 or +62 prefix)
• Mandiri: 14000
• BNI: 1500046
• BRI: 1500017

There is no uniform public rule for other banks' cards that get captured. BCA's official page only covers BCA cards belonging to its own customers, and in practice Indonesian banks generally hand cards back only to their own verified customers; cards from other banks, including foreign ones, are usually secured and then destroyed. It's still worth asking, so bring your passport, and if the ATM is at a branch, go to customer service the same working day. But plan as if the card is lost.

Why ATMs Swallow Cards

Usually it's one of these:

• You took too long to remove the card. This is the cause BCA names: after a transaction the machine waits a few seconds, then pulls the card back for security.
• Repeated wrong PINs. At many banks, three wrong attempts trigger a block or card capture.
• The card can't be read. A damaged chip, worn magnetic stripe or stripe-only card can fail and be retained.
• An instruction from your bank, or a machine fault. Your bank may flag an overseas transaction as suspicious, and a power cut or error mid-transaction can also leave the card inside.

How to Prevent It

• Withdraw at ATMs inside bank branches or malls during office hours (usually weekday mornings to afternoons), so there's staff who can help.
• Tell your bank you're travelling to Indonesia so transactions in Bali aren't blocked automatically.
• Check the machine before inserting your card: a loose or protruding slot or a thick-feeling keypad can signal a skimming device. Bali police arrested two Turkish nationals for ATM skimming in June 2021.
• Cover the keypad when typing your PIN and take your card as soon as the transaction finishes.
• Carry two cards from different banks or networks and keep them apart, one in your wallet and one in the hotel safe.

Need Cash Right Now?

• Your backup card. This is the main reason to carry two. Credit cards also work at hotels, restaurants and larger supermarkets.
• Licensed money changers. If you have foreign cash, exchange it at a licensed money changer (KUPVA BI). Make sure the notes are crisp, because old or folded dollars are often refused.
• Digital payments. QRIS for foreign tourists can help at warungs and small shops, with certain apps and conditions.
• Wise or similar. If you already carry a verified Wise card as a backup, it can be used for cash withdrawals at Indonesian ATMs. You can't get a new card quickly in Bali, so this only helps if you set it up before you travel.
• Western Union. Family at home can send money that you collect in cash at a Western Union agent in Bali by showing your passport. Check agent locations and fees on Western Union's official website before you go.

Once things are sorted, ask your bank to send the replacement card to your home address rather than your hotel, unless you're staying in Bali for a while. For exchange rates, ATM fees and avoiding money-changer scams, read our guide to changing money and paying in Bali.