Hey everyone, thanks for your great advice. By the way, when I called about my AmEx credit card, the phoneperson told me, "Cards don't get eaten unless there is something wrong with the account." Then I stopped to think about a friend's card that was eaten. His wife had closed out the account w/o telling him! Has anyone personally known of a card being eaten for "no good reason"???

The only bank in Madrid with an ATM receipt which shows your balance that I have found is Banco Atlantico. All the others do not show your current balance. I think I have been scammed by some machines, or banks, or who knows in the past, so maybe just using those which have a cubicle at the bank might be a good idea. Bank Atlantico is on Grand Via across from Metro Callao, one stop north (direction Moncloa)from Sol on Linea 3.

Hate to be nosy Martin, but what makes you think you were "scammed"? Did you not get the amount of Euros you requested? ...or did they fudge on the exchange rate? Do you like any one bank better than another?

i have used my cards all over spain with no problem.its best to take two cards at least,if they are over used banks quite often put a stop on them.A word of warning,i was in Amsterdam last year ,when i got home i received credit card statements from four card companies saying that i had spent four thousand pounds,three of these cards had not left my purse(or so i thought).I had left my purse in my hotel room one morning for ten mins, it appears someone had been in my room scanned my cards and they were happily spending for three weeks in france .

How awful Chez123, you were a victim of the dreaded "Identity Theft."

I have read recently that it is not even a good idea to let waitstaff have your card because unscrupulous people can make blanks and use your number elsewhere. It's fairly easily done with an old fashioned addressograph machine and some fancy colored plastic.

Hope everything worked out for you.

Good advice. As with any place, there are unscrupulous characters looking to take advantage of the unsuspecting. When someone sees you're from a "far-off land" it only makes it more enticing, as they figure you'll be leaving the country soon enough, perhaps never to return...and if they can get away with it for ten days, they're off scot-free, and you won't (or can't) press any charges.

I think it best to change $$ at the ATM and pay cash as possible for items. If you can keep an eye on your card at all times (i.e. at the counter of a store), you're usually safe.