Do any ATMs in Belgium support balance inquiries?
Do any ATMs in Belgium support balance inquiries?
ATMs I’ve checked:
BNP Paribas: no balance inquiry option. Nor did it print the balance on the receipt.
Attijariwafa: no balance inquiry option. Both ATMs are always out of paper, so no way to check whether the balance would be printed on the receipt. Anti-feature: you must enter your PIN before it shows you the menu. Does that mean it connects to my bank even in the absense of a transaction?
Ing: no longer has ATMs?
KBC: no longer has ATMs?
#Belfius: no longer has ATMs? (answered)
Aion: only has 1 ATM (unplugged & vandalized)
Europabank: has no ATMs?
DHB bank: has no ATMs?
Fintro: ATM is the same as BNP Parabas?
BBVA: do they still exist?
Bank of Baroda: has no ATMs?
Beobank: didn’t check if they have any ATMs
Keytrade: likely has no ATMs
BinckBank: likely has no ATMs
Batopin (3rd party w/Ing & KBC): no balance inquiry option.
This website claims to give a way to check your balance, but I’m not so trusting:
Your banks don’t have websites and apps in Belgium?
Banks are gradually removing features from their websites in a progression toward complete elimination of the website. Some banks have already taken that step. They impose an app whilst also closing their over-the-counter service.
Unlike the US, 1-factor authentication by banks is illegal in Belgium. So for web access banks typically hand out devices for 2FA. Some banks avoid that cost by imposing a smartphone app in lieu of a card reader or RSA token (BYO smartphone).
There are many problems with bank apps in Belgium:
- You must buy smartphone hardware (the apps detect when they are executed inside a virtual machine & deny service [tested with Ing’s app])
- You must patronize a surveillance capitalist (create a Google or Apple account)
2.1. You must subscribe to mobile phone service in order to satisfy Google’s unreasonable demand for a mobile phone number as a precondition to obtaining an account
2.2. You must trust Google with your mobile phone number, IMEI number, and inventory of apps & versions you download (thus a reconnaissance risk)
2.3. When Google records your place of banking, you must trust Google not to share that info (with debt collectors, for example) - All bank apps in Belgium are closed-source, so you must trust the apps not to carry spyware and to work in your interests
3.1. The bank’s privacy policies are written to allow your realtime location to be tracked via the app. - You must chronically upgrade your hardware every few years because the bank apps are upgraded with reckless disregard to the lockstep-coupling of hardware to software on all phone platforms that are supported by Belgian banks. You cannot run a VM to prevent irresponsible electronic waste (see point 1)
The #GDPR possibly (and only symbolically¹) protects from some of that, such as Google sharing your place of banking with debt collectors. But the GDPR does not prevent criminal exfiltration of data that cavalier consumers trustingly agree to the collection of.
Footnotes:
- I say “symbolically” because consumers only have two pathways for remedy under the GDPR: article 77 & direct lawsuit. Article 77 has no teeth. When the DPA ignores/mothballs an art.77 complaint, there is no mechanism for action against the DPA. So DPAs are largely neglecting to treat art.77 reports. That leaves direct lawsuits. The EU has decided that GDPR plaintiffs are not entitled to compensation for legal fees. So that kills that option. You can get a symbolic win in court but you still lose because lawsuits are costly and the damages you can prove are negligable. So the GDPR boils down to an honor system.
Hello,
You'll probably get better answers on [email protected] or [email protected]
Which bank is yours?
I know Belfius still has a few ATMs inside the building, they do show your balance. During the day you can enter without swiping your card, but after certain hours you have to your card to get in.
Also, they have the banking app so you can always check your balance and do payments as long as you have a debit or credit card. Unless you have a special expenses card when in debt collection I think.
That's unexpected.
I've never thought about it before. In the UK getting your balance is on every ATM. The ATMs are all different makes and models, interfaces, OSes, different banks, etc. the only thing I can think of that is the same is they are all connected to LINK - maybe they have set standards for what they should all have/have not?
Anti-feature: you must enter your PIN before it shows you the menu. Does that mean it connects to my bank even in the absense of a transaction?
This is the same in the UK. They request your PIN immediately after putting in your card (althogh I think if you use a credit card it will prompt for your language first), but it doesn't use it until it needs to connect to your bank (I know this after knowingly mistakenly putting in my PIN, then attempting to get my balance or something and then the card is ejected and the message about incorrect PIN appears).
I think in the UK each bank enquiry results in the ATM operator getting paid. So they ask you like three times if you want to see your balance because they get money for that as well as just the cash dispensing.
Is there no number on your card you can call and get your balance using an automated system?
No. There are a couple unpublished phone numbers but they’re a disaster. I’ve not encountered a Belgian bank that gives automated account info over the phone. Last time I called I think it was just a greeting saying “contact us through the app or email” or something like that, IIRC.
I've never seen a check balance option ever when not using my own banks ATM over here. ING does still have ATM's in a few places, KBC and Belfius definitely do as well. Also you forgot Argenta and Bpost which has them as well. Honestly don't think you'll be able to perform a balance check on any of them.