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Most of the online company will only accept cards issued in Brazil. Also you cannot take advantage of the multipayment option either.  Mike I use capitalone 360. i don't pay any foreign fees and I don't have any problems at the ATM's. Never a charge except the 24 Hour ones.

Lojasamericanas store do accept them . It's just the online orders that do not.

Mike, there is no person telling me my card won't work.  I insert the card into the card reader and the reader says, "Modo invalido passe o cartao".  Has nothing to do with any person or what they think or say.  The card reader simply won't read the card.  And this has happened in at least ten stores.  I tried it yesterday to buy something in the Macavi store, with the exact same result.  I came back an hour later with a credit card and it took the credit card no problem.

Mastercard has been looking into the issue, but they say they don't see any attempts to use the card, except when I use them in the ATMs.  That tells me the card readers are programmed to ignore foreign debit cards.  It's the only possibility.  The very same card readers read my credit cards no problem.

I understand all you guys think I'm either making this up, or I just don't know how to use a debit card, or some other stupid thing, but I assure you, I have thought of and tried everything you all suggest here, and I understand very well how their systems work.  I've spent more than 3 years here in Brazil since 2008, and I am familiar with about every banking issue and how screwed up all their systems are, trust me. 

SInce HSBC closed, these debit cards have become a major hassle, and I think BdB is just taking advantage of foreigners because of that.  I'm not in a major metro area, and this part of Brasil is open to about any kind of scam the corporations want to pull, as there just aren't many foreigners here to complain to the authorities and get any kind of investigation going.

I'm trying to get Mastercard to deal with the issue, but being probably the only person trying to get their attention on this, I'm probably not going to get any results.  I suppose I'll just have to use my credit cards and only get what cash I need to carry with me.   That's the only viable solution I can find.  I just don't really like carrying credit cards around in my wallet, but I suppose I'll have to do that.

Who administers the machines/readers in question at the stores? Cielo or......? Find out if it is just one company or a few, then call those companies.

Apparently the programming on the portable readers is different from region to region. The Cielo readers here give the clerks the option to have the transaction go through in US dollars (with no transaction fee) or in Reais (with the transaction fee). I have the ones here trained to select USD now. This is brand new. The ones in town proper don't ask. The ones that were in São Paulo didn't ask either.

I don't like the multipayment bullshit option. It's not really multiple payments. They block off the full amount of the purchase and then "give you back" the monthly payment amount on your limit/account every month. That's bullshit. If you're going to charge me monthly, charge me the monthly amount every month, don't overdraw my account by blocking off the full amount. It makes no sense.  I got screwed by that scam at the Microsoft store. Never again.

This was the first time I've ever had my card accepted and then denied because it wasn't issued in Brazil. I've bought from Lojas Americanas, Submarino, and others online before using my Paypal card.

I've had my cards denied because the issuer's fraud department flagged it for being used in Brazil, even though my address here is on file, as per their recommendation to ensure it doesn't happen. But they've never been refused because of where they were issued until yesterday.

I'm not sure what you mean by "portable" card readers.  These are hard wired into the cashier's terminals in the stores.  Maybe that's what you mean.  Anyway, I don't know who is the processor, but in speaking with my credit union and Mastercard they have never asked me that question.  I just figure that BdB has a hand in it somehow, as they are state owned and I'm sure they can throw their weight around rather well.  All of the ATMs in this area are owned by BdB, and I figure it's their way of getting a cut of everything.

I have never had any problems using Mastercard or Visa Credit cards anywhere in Brazil, except when I first started coming down here in 2008, even though I had called my credit card issuers before traveling, they always denied my card transactions until I got to my hotel room and called them about it.  The past several years, I haven't had that problem.  I also never had any issues using debit cards in any of the stores until this year when I arrived in October.

I was always able to go to the HSBC branch and withdraw cash, but now they have pulled out of Brazil, leaving me no other option but to use the BdB machines.

Like I said, I guess I'll just have to use my credit cards and pay them off every month.  The transaction fees at the ATMs are R$24, which is 2.4% if I withdraw R$1,000, and with the foreign transaction fee of 3%, that makes it sting a bit too much.

I love a lot of things about Brazil, and especially since the dollar is so high against the real, most things are rather cheap, but dealing with their bureaucracy and their banking system sucks, and I am 100% positive this is never going to improve.  Just trying to figure how to best deal with it.  And, it seems like Paypal must be in cahoots with BdB, because to try to resolve my issue with them seems like I'm dealing with the Brazilian system all over.

Portable versus affixed to a machine like an ATM. You can pick them up, like they do at stores. They have the name of the card processor on them like, like Cielo. They also usually emit a blue or yellow card transaction receipt versus the receipt from the cash register.

Was your account with Paypal an individual account or a business/vendor's account? Mine's a business account and I've never had any problems with them, either here or back in the US.

We just came from a self service. Used my card without problems. My receipt is blue from BIN.

What's a self service?

LOL . . . well, they aren't emitting any reciepts for me, the terminals do not read the card.  I've never paud any attention to the text on the card reader.  I'll look next time I use a credit card..  But wouldn't that just be the name of the manufacturer?

My paypal is an individual account, and for the past 15 years or so, I've never had a problem with them either.  But if you google Paypal complaints, you'll see there are thousands if not millions of people who have problems with them.

Restaurante. They are everywhere in Brazil. You get your food they weigh it and you pay for it something like a cafeteria except you pay by weight.

The name on the receipt is the credit card processor.

Last night I received an email from Chase stating there are no longer any foreign transaction fees with their card. So, from now on, I'll just use their card for everything. Problem solved.

Por kilo. There's another type of self service that's called "a vontade." That's one price, all you can eat.

LOL . . . so,in discussing a debit card issue, all of a sudden I'm getting advice about restaurants?  Só no Brasil, né?

Bland, if the reader won't read the card, it doesn't give you a receipt to get the name off of.  Gee, sometimes I feel like I'm speaking Klingon or maybe tagolog.

We are all here to help. The reason you were told what a self service was is because you asked. It was an example brought up about where we use our cards same as any other merchant. There is no need to cop an attitude.

you know believe it or not me and Mike are part of the discussion also. It's not all about you. We are sorry you are having problems with your card. Please think about your reply before you do. Your attitude is not acceptable to me.

Jim

That's fine, I'll let you take over the conversation . . . and the website.  I don't much care for your attitude either !

Brazil has the worst banking system ....period .

I have three cards that stopped working last week.  Some thing is going on that is very strange.  How are we suppose to pay are bills and buy food?  I can see one card wearing out.  It is another thing when three cards die at the same time.  I think there is a conspiracy to milk us for more money!  The ATM denies me at the first window.  My bank  has no record of an attempt to withdraw money.  Have I exceeded my limit to withdraw money or something else?  The bank has no clue.

Travel64 please let me know if you find an answer to this problem.  I am going to the States to get new cards soon.  My retirement goes to my bank.  It will hard to change accounts.  The Bank of Brazil likes to take your request for money, charge your account in the States and then not to give you the cash.  Your bank will reimburse you but what a pain.

Have lived between Brasil and California since 2006.  Never had a problem using ATM machines unless the system was down.  Last week went to Bradesco and my cards were not accepted.  When I opted to use the 24 hours machines, which charge a R$24,00 transaction fee, I had no problems.  Also food markets and pharmacies  and other stores accepted my ATM cards. Perhaps a ploy to extract money from those of us who use cards from other countries. This is Brasil!!

I am not having problems with either debit or credit cards for the 4 years I have been here. Banco Do Brazil is where I withdraw money.  The only thing that has changed for me is they amount of withdrawal went down to R$500 from R$1000.  Restaurants supermarkets and stores still accept them.

Jim

You my not be having problems yet but it might be coming.  Let us know if you do.[u][i][u][i][/i][/i][/u][/u]

I just read on trip advisor that all debit card in Brazil have been frozen.  Go to bredesco problems with ATM

I'm not seeing anything about that on TripAdvisor.

Try bredesco atm problems

I just withdrew R$900 from the Bradesco here using my Ally Bank account.

Still nothing on Trip Advisor about what you're talking about. One BS story that there are times when foreigners aren't allowed to withdraw money for a week or more, but that's it.

The ONLY 2 problems I've had with either of my cards is a couple of stores not accepting them because they aren't chipped and them being cloned when I go to stores with cordless card readers.

Exactly. One persons problem does not become everyones.

I'm betting that if he calls the card issuer and mentions it, the problem will go away.

Thanks Mike.

No problem.

Hey, does your name refer to your favorite vehicle or maybe a street/boulevard near where you live(d)?

My foreign card also stopped working at Bradesco a few weeks ago, where it always did work, however I am still drawing from Santander successfully, and paying on it without issue.

The Brazilian Banking is without a doubt awful , the absolute worst....I have 3 Brazilian accounts-don't ask every time you get a job you need an account with the companies bank- and my international ones and the amount of time I waste walking the neighbourhood in the hot sun trying to find a compatiable combination just to see R$100 in my hand is ridiculous.
Not only that but it's expensive and slow.....another thing here is the old person priority in the bank line......you can stand there for two hours while old person after old person or young person with Grandad in tow pop in and jump the line for the ONE cashier thats on duty at peak hours.....

Yeah, that "preferencial" stuff is BS. I hate that. Dedicate one window to them and have at least 2 open. Thankfully the bus drops me right in front of Bradesco.  I don't think Santander has ever worked with my cards.

I will never get an account at a Brazilian bank unless I have absolutely positively no other choice. I'm self-employed as a writer, and all my clients are either in the UK or the US, so I'm lucky there. IF I decide to go back to teaching English part time, I'll have them use my fiancé's account or give me cash.

I called the card issuer two or three times.  No luck

The strangest thing happened today.  Two of my three debit cards started working today.  Two weeks ago I could not get them to work at the Bank of Brazil or at Bradesco.  I had called my bank in the US.  They told me that the cards were not blocked.  So what happened?  It really pisses me off.

It can't be explained and if you ask the Brazilian Banks they will make something up.

Jim

actually I got a Banco do Brasil credit card in my first month in Brazil with zero credit history and no income, don't ask me how, when I open the account they said you want a credit card , I said ok
Ok it only has a R$1500 limit  but still bought a few things I need on their paying in vezes

Got a pre paid card here too, a master card you can put money in to buy online but it does have some extra fees, you can even buy theres card in the supermarket here now