Whether you're an expat, a potential expat, or a tourist, it's important to know that you're vulnerable to debit and credit card cloning in Argentina (and likely anywhere else in the world).
Apparently, the number of reported incidents has been on the rise in Argentina. But, as usual, I tend to be the last to know about these things. That’s probably because my husband and I have chosen to live in virtual seclusion for security and personal reasons.
On October 28, 2019, I became a victim of debit card cloning.
The day before, I had gone grocery shopping, bought a gift for my husband's 37th birthday, and then stopped at McDonald's for some nuggets. I used my debit card three times that day, completely unaware that something insidious was happening behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, my husband was downtown in Córdoba City, picking up a few items for the tasty treats he was planning to make for his birthday and for Halloween (which, as you know, are just a day apart). However, when he tried to use his debit card, it was declined—twice, at two different stores.
When he contacted me, I checked our account through online banking. To my shock, the balance was only 98 Argentine pesos—far less than usual. Somehow, 13,000 pesos had gone missing from my account. I checked the transaction history and saw that four withdrawals had been made from an ATM: three for 4,000 pesos each, and one for 1,000 pesos.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t rush to the bank because Argentine banks close at 1 p.m., and I only realized what had happened after 4 p.m. However, I was able to call VISA to cancel my cards.
The next morning, I went to the bank to report the incident. It turns out this wasn’t an isolated case. The bank representative informed me that card cloning had become a growing problem. But the real shocker came when he told me which of my two debit cards had been cloned.
I had assumed that the card had been cloned in our host province of Córdoba, since the ATM withdrawals seemed to line up with my earlier purchases that day. I had two theories:
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One of the cashiers had cloned my debit card. Given how difficult things have gotten in Argentina under former President Macri’s regime, desperation can drive people to do terrible things.
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The person who provides me with freelance writing work, a local who has my bank information to pay me through direct deposit, might have done it. But I didn’t believe she would be capable of something so terrible.
So, I asked the bank representative if he could tell me which ATM the money had been withdrawn from, and he told me it had happened in Buenos Aires. That’s when things got even stranger: It wasn’t my debit card that had been cloned, but my husband’s!
I think they may have cloned his card when we went to Buenos Aires for Comic-Con in May. That’s the only conclusion I can come up with. So why did the thief wait five months to hit us? It doesn’t make sense.
The bank had me sign some papers and instructed me to call a number while still at the bank to dispute the charges. If everything goes smoothly, I should have the money back in a couple of weeks. But before I left, I asked the representative if there was anything I could do to prevent this from happening again. He just shrugged and said no.
Typical.
I won’t lie, this experience has shaken me.
It’s bad enough that we have to stay vigilant when we’re out and about. I carry a screwdriver in my pocket for self-defense in case I'm attacked. On top of that, we also deal with random neighbors vandalizing the front of our home. We worry about break-ins, just like the one that happened in 2016. There have been signs that someone’s attempted it again, but thankfully, they’ve failed. That doesn’t mean they won’t try again. It’s why only one of us can go out at night—the other has to stay home and house-sit. But one’s supposed to feel secure knowing that their money is safe in the bank. I don’t anymore, and frankly, it’s too much. I’ve seen the toll it’s taken on us, and I don’t like it.
I can honestly say that when I post about Argentina, I try to show the best sides of this country. I seek out beautiful buildings, friendly people, and scenic views to photograph. I share the restaurants we’ve discovered in hopes of helping other expats feel more comfortable while staying here long-term. But after this experience, all I see is darkness. All I feel is hate and suspicion for anyone I meet. Is that how I’m supposed to feel for an expat blog? I don’t care.
What I do still care about is my husband, who’s turning 37. So we’re going to celebrate his birthday and Halloween. But once this year is over, we’re going to sit down and figure out whether going back to the States is the best move for us.
And not to get all Sandra Bullock from The Net on my fellow expats, but like Angela says in the movie, "They’ve done it to me, and you know what? They’re gonna do it to you."
