Minsk ATMs refused to withdraw cash

• 18.01.2008, 9:50

Minsk cash machines haven’t operated for the last days. Nevertheless, they withdraw cash from accounts.

“Thank you! Take your card back” a cash machine spit out politely my plastic card on Tuesday evening. But where are my 350.000 rubles? I’m inserting a card again and check the balance. Minus 350.000! Thinking I am lucky to be in a bank, not in a deserted street, I’m coming to a good-looking girl, writes Volga Asipenka, journalist of the newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi.”

– The young man and me are waiting whether you receive cash or not, – the bank teller says. – He has received no cash, too. He is phoning to the head office, you may join it.

– Does your ATM often behave like that?

– It looks like we have a failure in the network today, people, who tried to get money outside, have complained, too.

– Meanwhile, the young man is waiting for connection with an operator.

– Either only one operator has remained there (time is 6.32pm –Author), or half a city are calling to them, - he comments. – When we were receiving cash in bank, we had no troubles!

– But we had to stay in long queues! – The bank teller defends high technologies.

– What queues? Our company employ only 60 people, – the young man doesn’t give up.

He managed to phone to an operator in seven minutes. I have been trying to dial the numbers pointed on the card, but line is busy.

In a minute the young man gives a phone to me.

– Say your card number, – the girl asked. – And say your mother’s maiden name.

– What sum have you withdrawn?

– 300.000.

– 350.000, – says the operator. – We record all operations. Come to your bank department. They say when they can charge money to your account.

I come to the bank department the next day. Having stood in a long queue, I enter the cabinet of service.

– Have you checked your account today? – A girl asked.

– No, it hasn’t come to my mind.

– Please, first check, and then come.

I send an SMS-request in the corridor and find out that money have been given back!

But why did cash machines deceive clients?

– Failures may occur with any equipment – computers or irons. They are machines. It happened on Tuesday, – a bank clerk told. – It was a software failure and we needed to update some programs.