Withdrawing cash abroad

MonkeyG0D

lisyloo wrote: »

There is still thoerectically a risk if you are using wifi. It's lower than using shared computers.
Personally I wait till I get back and pay £2-£3, which is about the price of a coffee.

Might be a bit more than a price of coffee after 5 1/2 months mate

zagfles

lisyloo wrote: »

There is still thoerectically a risk if you are using wifi. It's lower than using shared computers.

Is there? I though you were safe as the https encryption is from the laptop? I know there was some issue with online shopping sites using unencrytped cookies but surely that doesn't apply to proper internet banking sites?

Personally I wait till I get back and pay £2-£3, which is about the price of a coffee.

That's what I do and is fine for short holidays - but the OP is going for 5 months! so will need some way of getting it paid while abroad.

chattychappy

lisyloo wrote: »

There is still thoerectically a risk if you are using wifi. It's lower than using shared computers.

I run my life using public wifi overseas. Using it right now, in Saigon. I have never had a problem and don't accept there is any additional risk. Must have been doing this for 10 years now. There is a "theoretical" risk that little voices might tell you to empty your account and throw the cash in a river.

And, of course, you are not responsible for fraudulent transactions.

Whatever they say about "global acceptance" - CCs are simply less reliable when used overseas. They get blocked randomly and often your CC company will be unable to say why. Saving the odd % here or there fades into irrelevance against the cost of taxis to embassies/friend's houses, Western Union transfers etc. Key thing is to take backups. A wedge of cash is no bad thing either, if you can trust yourself not to get it lost.

zagfles

chattychappy wrote: »

I run my life using public wifi overseas. Using it right now, in Saigon. I have never had a problem and don't accept there is any additional risk. Must have been doing this for 10 years now. There is a "theoretical" risk that little voices might tell you to empty your account and throw the cash in a river.

And, of course, you are not responsible for fraudulent transactions.

Whatever they say about "global acceptance" - CCs are simply less reliable when used overseas. They get blocked randomly and often your CC company will be unable to say why. Saving the odd % here or there fades into irrelevance against the cost of taxis to embassies/friend's houses, Western Union transfers etc. Key thing is to take backups. A wedge of cash is no bad thing either, if you can trust yourself not to get it lost.

Only time I've ever had a problem was with VISA in Italy a few years ago - MasterCard was fine though so it's worth having at least one of each.

dzug1

OP should also bear in mind that in some of the countries visited it may be difficult to find an ATM that doesn't levy its own charge - OK that will be the same whatever card is used, but it is as well not to budget too closely

lisyloo

but surely that doesn't apply to proper internet banking sites?

If you get to a proper internet site yes, but you can be directed to a fake website via a wifi hotspot.
I don't accept there is no additional risk although I accept you aren't responsible for fraud unless negligent.
Anyone that says this is 100% impossible is simply wrong I'm afraid, as it is possible for a restaurant/hotel to direct you to whatever websites they like (at substantial effort).

I agree that you would want to make other arrangements if it's 5 and 1/2 months.

chattychappy

lisyloo wrote: »

If you get to a proper internet site yes, but you can be directed to a fake website via a wifi hotspot.

And then what? It asks you for all your log in details rather than just particular characters from your password and you don't think it odd?

Even if my login details did become known, I can't do any meaningful transaction on my bank account without using a card reader.

lisyloo

And then what? It asks you for all your log in details rather than just particular characters from your password and you don't think it odd?

How about asking you for the digits that your real bank website wants for access, in exactly the same format so that you don't notice the difference.
I think the fact that you cannot envisage these scenarios is indeed blinding you to the dangers.

I accept it may not have happened to you. I haven't had a heart attack in the last 43 years, but I don't suppose that's proof that it can never happen to anyone else.
You are doing people a real dis-service if you are telling them this is 100% safe when I have clearly explained how it could be done i.e. a hotel/restaurant hotspot presenting you with an identical interface.

I can't do any meaningful transaction on my bank account without using a card reader.

Well lots of people can.

chattychappy

lisyloo wrote: »

How about asking you for the digits that your real bank website wants for access, in exactly the same format so that you don't notice the difference.

I think you don't understand encryption and how secure websites work. How could the spoof website sit in the middle and ask for just the digits required in order to log in, without my knowing it?

But we've had all this argument before, haven't we?

See post 16 in
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2966332

Though you seemed not to accept/follow it at #22.

If there was a risk, then all WiFi (not just foreign WiFi) would be at risk. Indeed UK WiFi would be more risky than foreign WiFi since there would be more UK bank account holders within reach who could be defrauded. It wouldn't just apply to WiFi - such a "man in the middle" exploit could occur anywhere - eg a dodgy technician in an IT department. How many companies have their IT maintained/serviced by outside companies?

The security is end-to-end. Anything less and the whole system would fall apart.

lisyloo wrote: »

I think the fact that you cannot envisage these scenarios is indeed blinding you to the dangers.

Yeah, right.