Caracas - Post Report Question and Answers
Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Don't. - May 2015
Don't. - Apr 2015
Generally unsafe. - Nov 2014
Don't ever use a credit card in this country unless that is all you have. The ATM at the Embassy is safe, but I wouldn't use any other machines. - Sep 2013
Because of the official/unofficial exchange rate, if you use a credit card from the US, you'll pay double in the conversion. The one time I tried to use my ATM card, I found out that someone had captured my info and had withdrawn almost all my money from my account that same day. - Aug 2012
There is a safe ATM inside the embassy. We try to avoid using other ATMs as debit card cloning is very frequent. We have used our Venezuelan credit card in supermarkets and restaurants without any problems. Avoid using CC at the airport. - Mar 2012
DO NOT use them. Use cash, or a debit card from your vVenezuelan bank. But do not use a foreign credit card. - Mar 2011
Do not use them-they will clean out your account. - Jan 2011
Never, ever, ever use one here. Period. - Oct 2010
DO NOT use credit cards or ATM cards in Venezuela. There are currently about 5 exchange rates (3 official, the airport rate, and the black market). This is a cash economy. Most people who have access to dollars exchange offshore to be able to get access to local currency. The embassy operates on the lowest exchange rate, which would be impossible to live on. - Sep 2010
Don't use credit cards and ATMs because of widespread cloning. The airport is notorious for this. - Mar 2010
You need to get a local bank account. You cannot use your US ATM or credit card here. It will get cloned. - Mar 2010
Don't use them unless you have a local bank account. They will only give you the official exchange rate and thus you will be giving half of your money away to the Venezuelan banks. - Feb 2009
Your U.S. ATM card will be virtually useless here, and out of control cloning and credit card fraud makes using a card unadvisable. - Nov 2008
