I find it hard to believe that this had anything to do with you using the ATM. You're talking about the biggest bank in Europe. Their ATM's will be as secure as the ones in this country. It's more likely that someone took the card from your room (or even your pocket), cloned it and then returned it so you wouldn't notice.

That is a real sickener to hear that. I hope you get your money back. We had our Benidorm holiday in June and I used my card extensively, I don't take money. Thankfully, my account is OK.
ColinWWW could be right. Why not put a review up where you stayed, there may be others who have heard of similar incidents.

gerry ... I believe that First Rate Travel provides various currency services in conjunction with the Post Office, American Express and others.

This may seem a silly question, but I assume that before going on holiday, you did not use your card in this country to purchase either Travellers Cheques, or a preloaded Post Office or American Express Travel Money Card ?

Such a purchase may show up on your bank's mini statement as ATM First Rate Travel Funds, but the date on that statement should clarify that this was a pre-holiday purchase.

I also use Abbey and know that the vendor's name shown on mini statements does not always correspond with the name shown on the monthly statement. For example, First Rate Travel on a mini statement may eventually show up as Post Office or American Express on a monthly statement.

Or does the date on the mini statement clearly indicate that this transaction took place after your ATM withdrawal in Benidorm ?

David

my transaction in benidorm took place on my last day 14th. It appeared on my account on the 16th, the f raudulent transaction appeared on my account on the 15th( which i dont quite understand). This was the only time my card was used , it was also kept in a security box in the hotel rosaire at all times . I used to be a post office employee and i am aware that the company they used were first rate, but i made my transactions were done through marks and spencers. a bit baffled by how the dates have worked out though.

I've often found that when withdrawing money at weekends from cashpoints other than those owned by my bank, theseitems show up on my monthly statement as the date on which they are cleared with another line underneath showing when and where the withdrawal was actually made.

Don't know if this is the same sort of thing you'll get though.

I once spotted a transaction in Leeds on my Barclaycard statement. Having not been to Leeds for years I was straight on the phone complaining. B/C sent me a copy of the sales voucher in question and sure enough it was a shop I'd used in Liverpool whose head office was over there
Please let us know the final outcome, because I've used my card over in Benidorm as my main source of cash for many years. If anything dodgy is going on I'd like to know.

i am going to have to wait at least 2 or 3 weeks before they can even tell me where my money was taken from, never mind if i am going to get it back.
Please if anyone has any ideas about this please post them.

Might be a good idea to post which branch of Santander you used in case it's some kind of scam on the machine.

This topic has now been edited to remove several posts of off-topic discussion about phoning and texting from Benidorm.

Please use this topic only to discuss the issue which gerry has raised.

For discussion about phoning home, buying sim cards or phone cards, etc., please click here.

Many thanks.

David

Not sure of street name where Banco Santander was situated.I stayed in the Rosaire and it was 2 streets down and about 200 yards to the left of main entrance to hotel, on a main street." ATM`S together.I used the one on the left hand side.

What happened gerryg did you manage to trace the transaction and did you get your money back?
Ronnie