Qatar credit cards abroad problems

Went to Romania 2 years back and our cards wouldn't work-debit, or credit.  We were with commercial bank.  Spent 5 days in the hotel calling the bank.  One person would say no problem we will transfer money, another said they couldn't send, another said they would get back with us, another saying that the one before who said no, was stupid.  Never did get the money.  Had to pick up Western Union money from friend and leave.  Soon as we hit Turkey, everything worked fine.  sigh.

The problem is that nobody says nothing. Officially QNB blames the other side for lack of functionality. If I would have known in advance that for example in Czech Republic QNB cards will not work, I wouldn't have counted on them during my holidays in October. But QNB leaves people in doubt.

And of course carrying cash is not the best option at all.

Hi,

Just saw this and thought to give my 2c.

3 Years ago I had my QNB Visa and Master cards on my vacation in Bulgaria and had no troubles at all getting money from any of them, even the ATM card was working fine. Since last year, my wife and I were unable to use any of the credit or debit cards in Bulgaria - they were working fine on duty free shops in Vienna or Frankfurt, but once in Bulgaria - nothing - just some weird messages on the ATM or the CC machine in the shops. The cards are the same as what used to work before, so I am sure that QNB is somehow blocking transactions from these countries - maybe they are afraid of credit card fraud or something.

Last year I reached to the point that my wife's card was blocked from the bank since they saw more than 3-4 transactions in a very short time - while she was trying to get money from the ATM and it kept refusing...

Anyway, If you're going to Bulgaria, (now I see that Russia is the same), better do not count on QNB cards - you can just carry one for testing...

I used cash this year and that's it!

Absolutely agree it's not correct from any perspective - neither business approach from QNB, nor as a PR. However that's what happened. And in this case I got the reply from an elderly person, whom I know for many years - since 2000, and is quite knowledgable. Of course I'm not going to mention the branch, however the explanation was exactly that - Eastern Europe not considered trustworthy. So they avoid making business with those countries.

My QNB card works in Ukraine and Latvia without any problems, it might be a bank or ATM thing, because my Latvian card didn't work in Spain, while the QNB card worked. That was weird.

Eastern europe hasn't banned middle east cards. Although transactions between QNB and my bank in Latvia became a big problem last semester. My parents sent money, and the money disappeared. We couldnt find it in Qatar and Latvia, and not in the US. After 3 months, the money came back to Qatar. Now relying on credit cards esp Lloyds, never going through transactions again

They wouldn't know where Eastern Europe is, Symantro. The staff which deals with transfers probably can show on the map Bangalore and Kerala.

The rest for them is terra incognita. It was just someone's personal opinion, don't take it for the bank policy.

Btw. a lady on www.qatar.ru just confirmed that her QNB cards work in Ukraine (which is definitely Eastern Europe).

symantro.....i don't think QNB or any bank can admit to not wanting to do business with any market at all....simply because its like digging your own grave....no bank can afford to do that. Its just not ethical. now if u have seen an admission from QNB anywhere at all...PLEASE enlighten all of us here by giving us all a chance to see it.

I suspect its maybe a friend of urs or a staff that u deal with at QNB who gave u such information.

To me personally, when asking to transfer some funds home

OOO - the replacement card should be already in the bank. PIN should be in the bank as well. Just present the letter to which the new card was attached to the counter where you get the PINs.

Terramax – “Btw. OOO, don't forget to exchange your Visa Electron debit card for a new one with chip, as old cards will stop working in September.” … is it so? Crap I’m leaving in a couple of days! Thanks for the tip I’ll contact the bank today …

You know, this is making me anxious now, I think I’ll carry an extra credit card from a different institution as well ; )

Injunity - we are not talking about market share, but about international service. And Diners doesn't mean anything. Yet one more Citibank brand.

CommercialBank are the leaders in the card business, this is underlined by the fact that Cb is the sole dealer of diner cards in qatar...

" Winning is not everything, it is the only thing. Second place goes to the first loser " - Jinu Johnson

Symantro: Where and when they admitted that? Never heard anything officially from them...

Melvint83: I strongly suspect some lack of agreements on the side of QNB. It was not magnetic stripe for sure.

Tomici: I find interesting your remark about Romania. I am planning to spend vacations in Czech Republic, does anyone have experience with that country and Qatar-issued cards?

Of course I will take my UK and Brazilian cards as a backup, as they will work for sure, but QNB is just more convenient, since my salary goes here, and I won't need to go extra mile to pay cards from home.

Reason are neither telephone lines, nor ATMs, nor anything else.

QNB clearly admits they don't want to work with Eastern European countries - considers them non-trustworthy.

the reason why ure cards didnt work in russia is the networks problem that i mentioned above. why i think so?.. because when u called up ure bank they told u that there were no authorisation requests on ure card account. which i'm fairly certain is due to the fact that the local network is not really the best.

it could also have been the corruption of the magnetic stripe on ure card - but that happening to cards that have been kept reasonably well by the user is very very rare.

nothing of the sort as cards from GCC countries are banned in eastern europe. it mostly has to do with the issuing banks like a qnb or a commercial bank. if ure someone who travels quite a bit, i suggest its better to keep credit/debit cards from international banks that are in doha like the hsbc or the standard chartered.

cards dont work sometimes due to various reasons - the magnetic strip is usually the least common cause where as the local banks network being down is a more common cause.

Another common cause that most people dont know is that credit/debit cards have velocity parameters set up on them i.e if ure going abroad or on a holiday, thats usually the period u tend to spend more - u need to advise ure bank prior to travel that u will be using ure cards more frequently & they can disable the velocity parameter on ure cards.

now whats a velocity parameter?. its a security feature on cards that dont allow you to spend more than a set amount( eg Qrs.5000/-) in one individual transaction.

you could spend more than the set parameter amount as 2 different transactions on the same POS machine in the same store though!!

Terramax, I had the same problem in Romania. All CBQ and QNB cards useless (VISA and MasterCard). Istanbul was Ok, but no help in Romania. I ended up asking VISA in the States for emergency cash through Western Union. Nobody could explain this....maybe eastern europe has banned Middle East cards?!?

WOW!

That is pathetic, that Qatar and other countries won't accept them.

But some poor, run down country such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will accept them.

That is good to know...

Good luck on this one Bro..

I'm out of comments.

Cardinal OF QATAR LIVING

RED_POPE I know what are travellers cheques and how to get them... I was telling you that there are countries where Amex cheques are useless, and Qatar is one example. My friend from NZ couldn't have them cashed anywhere (except for 10% commission in Sheraton). He ended up opening a savings account at QNB, depositing his cheques on it, and waiting 20(!) days. Not a procedure you would like to do if you are elsewhere on holidays.

Is just like having a money order. I get them via fedex in two days, per my request to American Express bank.

Cardinal OF QATAR LIVING

RED_POPE - try cashing American Express cheques in Qatar :)

Oh man! all your cards are not working? that's very bad.

I had that trouble before do not use any wallet with magnets! it interferes with your cards magnetic strip! If you notice the magnetic card they are using at the hotels to open the door! At some point my card wasn't working they asked me if I'm using wallet with magnets and they told me that's the cause of deactivating the pin number stored in that card!

Cash a small amount of money for American express Checks.

They are good any where in the world.

One more thing:

People have the tendency to hurry themselves in tour trips and they forgot to make their payments in their credit cards. That will black list you automatically.

Cardinal OF QATAR LIVING

In my opinion there is nothing wrong in carrying two or three credit cards.

I rather be safe than sorry.

The card problems is quiet common, the problem is not spoken much.

It has happen to me many times, In many strange places.

I learn my lessons like I described to you in my postings.

I use my American Express for back up.

My main card is my VISA debit card.

I know you are a well world traveler, but the internal issue is your banking institution in my opinion.

Cardinal OF QATAR LIVING

Mystica, you didn't get it. ALL of QNB cards didn't work - VISA, Master and debit card. Why would I "transfer money to my credit card"??? What problem would it have solved?

Btw. you are very innocent in what concerns public computers. Clearing cookies won't help, if there is a keylogger installed which intercepts keystrokes and records everything you type, including your login name and password.

RED_POPE - I am just trying to understand how common the problem is, as I don't want to be locked out on my vacations in October. I don't really like to carry a lot of credit cards with me, but now I feel I have to take cards at least from 2 different banks.

Leather wallets are not good for credit cards magnetic strips.

Maybe your credit card is just one of those in a million it won't work in those ATMS!

Did you try to call their credit card security hotline and explained them your situation??

Those are the people responsible for tracing card frauds, credit limit bans, etc.

I'll bet your card is just lock out from the rest.

I'm out of options on this one.

If you need to move money from one bank account to other accounts, just call them.

I don't trust public computers, or networks.

Specially Russia is notorious for their extensive network of Hackers.

Take care and be cool my brother.

Cardinal OF QATAR LIVING

You just have to know how to clear the cookies so they cannot track or trace any of your transactions. Click tools, clear private data then click all the boxes and hit the clear private data button.

I find it very useful, sometimes it's necessary to do it on line, like for example your debit card is not working properly using ATM machine, it's very useful to know how to access it online. you can transfer money to your credit card and voila!

Sometimes we had trouble contacting banks while we're abroad and we find it very convenient to be able to access it on line!

Mystica, why would I want to contact QNB online, if they have 24 hours phone service? Why should I look for an internet access, and use my password and login in a strange place, while I can call them from my mobile anytime?

OOO, yes I tried them both for payment and for money withdrawal with different banks in different places in Russia and it didn't work. I also called QNB from Moscow and asked if my cards were stopped, but they told me everything was ok, and they didn't even see authorization attempts. Whereas Commercial bank cards, and my Brazilian cards (Diners Club/Citibank and VISA/Banco Itau) worked flawlessly.

Btw. OOO, don't forget to exchange your Visa Electron debit card for a new one with chip, as old cards will stop working in September.

Terramax, I have a QNB Mastercard and a QNB debit card, which is a Visa Electron, and I never had any problem with either of them abroad … so far. Did you try use them in different places and at different time/days in Russia?

Yes they do have lots of ATM machine now in Goa and anywhere in India and Stealth is right!

also we uses our debit card there because it has visa sign on it!

IT does not mean QNB has an ATM in Goa. Banks in India may also have tie-ups with institutions that QNB has in providing VISA service.

Do you mean QNB have ATM in Goa City since when?? i never heard of any??

Terramax i dont believe it. did you try ur that same card in other city other then Moscow?? There sure is a problem with the card then not QNB. My QNB cards works every where even in Africa.

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For you to contact them on line in case you experience more problem in future. I have them in case I have trouble accessing my account out somewhere. Cheers!

Must be the group or bank, who is or sponsoring the QNB card.

Not necesserarily is your bank, is the institution where the alliance for the visa is coming from.

It just pop in my mind, Maybe your bank just have the card block, and they need to lift it. That is just another option. One time in Kenya , my bank block it, because they tought soemone stole it. Neverless to say their security measures are tedious and painfull, but is about customer protection. I did call them and they lift the ban right away.

Cardinal OF QATAR LIVING

And what does e-banking of QNB has to do with it? Thank you for good intentions, Mystica, but this is totally off the wall :)

Here's the QNB on line services.

https://ib.qnb.com.qa/QNBEBizPlatformWeb/login/LoginController.jpf

Hmm.. but neither VISA nor Mastercard, nor my QNB debit cards worked. AFAIK, VISA and Master use different networks. I tried it in all ATMs, even Citibank (which usually works everywhere). And of course QNB denies everything. Only this particular bank in this particular country. Elsewhere, from Brazil to Switzerland no problems with QNB cards at all.

Now the question is how we are supposed to "check with our financial institution"? ;)

"If the PLUS or Cirrus logo is not visible on your card, then it is advisable to check with your card issuing institution before using it in an overseas cash machine.

"LINK is not able to advise about the location of overseas ATMs or about the level of charges which may be applied by the ATM owner."

A LINK-enabled card which displays the PLUS (VISA) and/or Cirrus (Mastercard) brand logos can usually be used in an overseas ATM which also displays these logos.

However, not all LINK Members take advantage of this international connection facility and so it all depends upon the bank, building society or other card company that issued your card; if the PLUS or Cirrus logo is not visible on your card then it is advisable to check with your card issuing institution before using it in an overseas cash machine.

Cardinal OF QATAR LIVING

Terramax is an old member here! we already won a free dinner with our points!

We also use QNB but we never had problem when we were in India. I am surprised they had ATM already in Goa! before we have to go to the main City.

My credit cards worked find in Russia ie HSBC and Commercial Bank, even at ATM withdrawal.

In HongKong as well both cards, no problem.

In Philippines, once the HSBC card no problem at ATM with QR.15 service charge. but the next time not at all.

The CBQ card, no problem.

It depends on the telephone line.

All the best