ATMs locally that don't charge if you have Wells Fargo or BoA

[ComputerGuy]

Friends coming for a visit, and we've been discussing which ATMs might give them the least charges for using them (with Wells Fargo or Bank of America debit cards). There are lots of various posts on the Board, but far too many to dig through. Does anyone have recent experiences they might share with me? Thanks in advance.

[RickS]

I have never had a Wells Fargo card give me ANY break on fees SOB. They basically are not that kind of bank!

[ComputerGuy]

Noted, thanks. But the ATMs here not Wells Fargo. For example, the Scotia here  has agreements with all kinds of banks. So I'm looking to see if any ATMs give a break, not the bank, although they may be inseparable...

[Floradude]

I have lived here for 16 years and I have a Wells Fargo Credit Card.   I do not use it for anything in Mexico but an  emergency or for like a hotel in PV.

As far as visitors goes I would say bite the bullet and enjoy your visit.  

[tomgates]

CI Bank has the cheapest at $19 and $7000 max per withdrawal. HSBC is $64 and max is $10,000. The exchange rate is determined by VISA or MC, not the bank ATM.

[RickS]

35 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

Noted, thanks. But the ATMs here not Wells Fargo. For example, the Scotia here  has agreements with all kinds of banks. So I'm looking to see if any ATMs give a break, not the bank, although they may be inseparable...

CG it is not my experience that the local (Scotia etc) bank controls anything other than the fee it charges to use their ATM. As Tom et al has mentioned CiBanco has the best fee-to-use at Lakeside, and past that VISA sets the exchange rate (assuming that one rejects the local bank’s ATM attempt to get one to settle for a worse rate... just say no!). The only thing left, that a US-based Wells Fargo or BOA bank does, is to charge you yet another fee and maybe an International exchange fee.... and Wells is definitely going to do that in spades. 

There are some cards.... Capital One for one and Charles Schwab for another.... that neither charge a fee and re-emburse one’s account for the ATM fees. My ‘local family bank’ does the same to keep my business.  Wells Fargo could generally care less. 

[ComputerGuy]

30 minutes ago, Floradude said:

I have lived here for 16 years and I have a Wells Fargo Credit Card.   I do not use it for anything in Mexico but an  emergency or for like a hotel in PV.

As far as visitors goes I would say bite the bullet and enjoy your visit.  

Thanks, but I really don't need your advice on how people choose to live.

[More Liana]

Scotiabank has an alliance with Bank of America.  Scotia will not charge a BofA cardholder for using its  Mexico ATMs--but it does charge the foreign transaction fee.  

[ComputerGuy]

8 minutes ago, RickS said:

CG it is not my experience that the local (Scotia etc) bank controls anything other than the fee it charges to use their ATM. As Tom et al has mentioned CiBanco has the best fee-to-use at Lakeside, and past that VISA sets the exchange rate (assuming that one rejects the local bank’s ATM attempt to get one to settle for a worse rate... just say no!). The only thing left, that a US-based Wells Fargo or BOA bank does, is to charge you yet another fee and maybe an International exchange fee.... and Wells and BOA are definitely going to do that in spades. 

There are some cards.... Capital One for one and Charles Schwab for another.... that neither charge a fee and re-emburse one’s account for the ATM fees. My ‘local family bank’ does the same to keep my business.  Wells Fargo and BOA could generally care less. 

Thanks for the well-thought-out answer.  And thanks to you and Tom for the CiBanco info. I'm Canadian, always used the Scotia machine except when the card wouldn't work, and got royally charged at HSBC across the highway from WalMart, so I just don't have the experience to be answering my question for my friends.

[ComputerGuy]

Thanks, More Liana. Also found this if anyone else is interested.

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/banking/debit-card-foreign-transaction-international-atm-fees/

[bournemouth]

36 minutes ago, tomgates said:

CI Bank has the cheapest at $19 and $7000 max per withdrawal. HSBC is $64 and max is $10,000. The exchange rate is determined by VISA or MC, not the bank ATM.

I get 12,000 at HSBC.

[tomgates]

ok, good to know

[Jim Bowie]

2 hours ago, tomgates said:

CI Bank has the cheapest at $19 and $7000 max per withdrawal. HSBC is $64 and max is $10,000. The exchange rate is determined by VISA or MC, not the bank ATM.

I've gotten 15,000 at CIBanco.

 

[michael2595]

22 minutes ago, Jim Bowie said:

I've gotten 15,000 at CIBanco.

 

That ATM runs out of money by Friday and doesn't get a delivery according to the guard until Tuesday. Also, if you have poor eyesight it's almost impossible to read because the sun is shining in, number 1 and the screen is too damn dark. Also take your money out of the slot ASAP because if it stays in there too long while you are reading the receipt it can suck the money back. That happened to a friend.

[RickS]

 

[rvanparys]

CI Banco recently changed its ATM payout... We regularly were able to get 40k at a time until they imposed a 10k limit per card...

[Floradude]

Computer Guy, you seem to comment on every thing posted on this website.  

I am sorry if you thought I was not relevant to your entry.  I thought I was relevant as a holder of Wells Fargo and how expensive it is to use in an ATM machine.   

[ComputerGuy]

It might have been had you not added the unwelcome comment. As it is, not really helpful anyway, because you never use it here. But thanks for trying.

"Bite the bullet"? Seriously?

[Ferret]

My experience: It doesn't seem to matter what the ATM charges for a fee, my Canadian TD account never charges that amount. It's always 3 Canadian dollars for every transaction. I always try to get as much as I can at one time from any ATM. So, I think that is a question that should be asked of the facility from which the card comes... BEFORE they get here.

BTW, the rate at Multiva has gone from 64 pesos per transaction to 94 pesos in the last month. I still get charged 3 bucks on my bank statement. Go figure.

[ComputerGuy]

Ferret, Yes, good advice. And they have done so. Apparently Wells Fargo is the worst in the universe, but BoA has told them that the Scotia machine is indeed on their network.

I should add, regarding "how much I can get": The ATM will tell you a maximum withdrawal, or at least (stupidly) say "You can't get that much". But many people don't realize they can then take out a second and even a third withdrawal, up to the max set by their own bank, not by the ATM's bank.

[Jim Bowie]

11 minutes ago, Ferret said:

My experience: It doesn't seem to matter what the ATM charges for a fee, my Canadian TD account never charges that amount. It's always 3 Canadian dollars for every transaction. I always try to get as much as I can at one time from any ATM. So, I think that is a question that should be asked of the facility from which the card comes... BEFORE they get here.

BTW, the rate at Multiva has gone from 64 pesos per transaction to 94 pesos in the last month. I still get charged 3 bucks on my bank statement. Go figure.

So, they take out the 94 when you get the money (thus lowering your exchange rate) and then another $3 at your bank. That seems rather high unless you get a lot. My bank reimburses me for the ATM fee and does not charge a fee at their end. Whatever works and makes you happy is what a person should use, no?

 

 

[Tiny]

1 minute ago, Jim Bowie said:

So, they take out the 94 when you get the money (thus lowering your exchange rate) and then another $3 at your bank. That seems rather high unless you get a lot. My bank reimburses me for the ATM fee and does not charge a fee at their end. Whatever works and makes you happy is what a person should use, no?

 

 

What bank do you use?

[Jim Bowie]

1 minute ago, Tiny said:

What bank do you use?

Schwab.

[Ferret]

Correct Jim Bowie. It's not worth the hassle of changing accounts or banks in search of a better ATM rate. I've had that TD account since I was 28 and it is now my only account. Just thinking about all the entities that I would have to inform because I've changed the account is giving me a headache. Whatever works for YOU.

[RickS]

19 minutes ago, Ferret said:

My experience: It doesn't seem to matter what the ATM charges for a fee, my Canadian TD account never charges that amount. It's always 3 Canadian dollars for every transaction. I always try to get as much as I can at one time from any ATM. So, I think that is a question that should be asked of the facility from which the card comes... BEFORE they get here.

BTW, the rate at Multiva has gone from 64 pesos per transaction to 94 pesos in the last month. I still get charged 3 bucks on my bank statement. Go figure.

Ferret I’m thinking that you ARE getting charged an ATM fee. It is added to the amount that you requested as a withdrawal. You asked for 10,000 and they send out an amount equal to 10,000 PLUS their fee.... say 94 pesos. You authorized them to do that at the ATM.

Then VISA sets the exchange rate on the total 10,094 and your bank charges you account that amount in Canadian $s. AND they tack on another $3 fee of their own. I didn’t hear you say that they “reimbursed” you the 94 pesos as Jim Bowie says that Schwab does (as does my local family owned bank, but not many others and surely not Wells Fargo). 

Your deal is certainly fine as it goes and as JB says.... whatever works for the participant.