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The Daily Insight Hub

Why would an ATM machine take your card?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on February 18, 2026

The magnetic strip carries sensitive details that only an ATM machine knows how to read. In the event the magnetic strip becomes damaged or fades away, the ATM machine will be unable to read your bank card and eat it as a result.

What happens when an ATM retains your card?

When a card is stuck or swallowed at an ATM, your first immediate action would be to visit your bank or their customer service toll free number almost immediately. That is because, your card can be open for a fraud and misused. Then, you are free to once again access your bank account using debit or credit card.

What does it mean when they hold your card?

What is a debit card hold? When you use a debit card, the store clerk usually contacts the financial institution that issued your card to get an authorization. Typically the hold stays on your account until the funds are transferred to the merchant from your financial institution, often 3-4 days.

Can a merchant confiscate a credit card?

(A merchant can sill choose not to confiscate the card, e.g. if the customer appears dangerous, or if they don’t want to antagonize the customer.) The machine can also ask to hold / cut up the card right away without even calling the bank, but this is extremely rare.

Can I withdraw money without my card?

Cardless ATMs provide access to your account and allow you to withdraw cash without the need for a physical card. Instead, cardless ATMs rely on account verification via text message or a banking app on your smartphone. There are a few different ways that cardless ATMs function.

What happens when your card is declined?

A declined credit card transaction means that something went wrong while your purchase was being processed and that the purchase couldn’t be completed. If that doesn’t work, there may be something else at the root of the problem, and you might not be able to use your credit card until it’s addressed.

How long can a company put a hold on your credit card?

A credit card authorization can last between 1-30 days, depending on when the merchant charges the account or lets the hold fall off.

What is a 10 day hold?

In your case, this means if you have a limit of $100 and you have an authorization hold sent out for $10 (but really you only bought $5 worth of goods), then for 10 days your limit will be set at $90.

Is it illegal to cut up a credit card?

No such crime as assault on a credit card. The credit card company will gladly give you a replacement though. This is not legal advice but a general comment on society. International Law 24/7 hotline +1-202-318-2406 – Dr.

What does it mean to confiscate a credit card?

The meaning of confiscating a credit card varies depending on the situation and context. If someone makes a payment at a retail store with a credit card, the store employee usually uses a machine to process the card.

What happens when a credit card is lost or stolen?

If the card has been reported lost, stolen or related to other illicit activities, the credit card machine may instruct the employee to call the credit card issuer. The employee can also decide to call the credit card issuer even without being instructed by the credit card machine if the credit cardholder acts suspiciously.

What to do if an ATM spits out your card?

If it is a problem with the machine, then it may well spit your card back out eventually, particularly if it reboots. So, the first thing to do is wait by the machine for 10-15 minutes to see if it spits your card back out. You could also use this time to check for signs that the ATM may have been tampered with by criminals.

Why does my ATM Keep Holding my Card?

Suspicious transactions: In some cases, your bank may be worried about suspicious activity on your card, causing the ATM to keep hold of your card; ATM error: There may be no problem with your bank account or card, but it could be that the cash machine has suffered a glitch;