atm withdarawal

A suggestion is simply to avoid ATMs which are visible from the street. Use ATMs in shopping centres for example.

Having said that, for many years I have used a couple of ATMS in Rio (Ipanema and Copacabana) which are visible from the street, so I'm not following my own advice. I do avoid using ATMs after dark, and there are areas where I would not think of using an ATM (not only in Brazil but also in many other parts of the world).

The signals are not that hard to see: if no one else is using an ATM, there's a good reason. If you see people lined up to take money out, using mobile phones, with handbags, etc., then it's reasonably safe.

I have never had any problems anywhere in Brazil associated with ATMs.

A word of caution. When travelling in Brazil, it is highly advised to NOT get out large sums of money as there is every chance you may get robbed, being that you are a not a local.

Really? OK then I will stop doing this. What's the maximum you recommend I should with draw at any point given that people are watching and following me all the time? Fifty reais? Twenty? Ten? I must say it must feel a little special, a bit like a celebrity, to know that you are being stalked at every waking moment.

Should I store the money in my shoe as your blog suggests? I can see my cash getting a bit malodorous but fortunately I spend much of my time just wearing havaianas.....oh hang on that might not work. Was that another piece of advice from your Brazilian friends? Presumably they told you all this in English cos I get the impression from said blog that your language skills aren't that high and after all "Brazilians just love the sound of English".

Brazilians also have well developed senses of humour, some of which you've clearly replicated in your blog. ;-)

@ The OP. In all seriousness there's probably no need to take out large amounts of cash. I say this from the point of practicality not security. Most places where you are going to make a substantial purchase will usually accept debit or credit cards. For pocket money, I see no reason not to take out the maximum you can and then store what you don't need for that day back in your accommodation. Otherwise you will be getting hit with multiple fees.

Experience suggests to me that the prospect of having your card cloned by a chupa-cabra device is far more likely than being mugged. I've experienced it, so has my wife and both from ATMs located in a bank. That said, even that's not a common experience. It does pay to keep your ATM receipts however.

Brazil has and at the same time hasn't changed that much in the past decade, so don't panic.

Actually IF you can READ i said that you probalbly would not carry around that much money at home, as at home you also have every chance of being mugged. It's all about travelling smart and being safe, which usually applies when you're in your own country. It's applying common sense. I WOULD not walk around with $800 in my purse at home either, because it's not a smart thing to do.

. Was that another piece of advice from your Brazilian friends? Presumably they told you all this in English cos I get the impression from said blog that your language skills aren't that high and after all "Brazilians just love the sound of English".

My language skills? I actually speak both languages, yet was teaching conversational English to my friends. Is that alright with you, Mr High and Mighty?

You must have a LOT of time on your hands to go and read my writing and then use it to insult me. Wow.

As I said - you have a higher chance of getting
mugged in any developing country. I'm not singling out Brazil. My friends got robbed in Vietnam. It's just about applying common
sense.

So when you visited the school you mentioned in your blog and had all your remarks translated into Portuguese for the students of the school you were visiting by your friend, that was for their benefit? Part of their conversational English training?

I had a good read of your blog and as far as I can tell you haven't mastered the language. That's evident by some very basic errors. Nor would it appear that you've spent more than five minutes in the country, at least judging by the rather facile revelations, some of them simply wrong, contained therein.

Still, it's a free world and an open forum, opine away to your heart's content.

Minnie, Im sure you mean well, but I have been to Brazil several times(though not recently, hence my question) and have travelled extensively in developing countries, so, yes I know its not a good idea to carry large sums of money in places with areas of deprivation. However, as you claim to have lived in Brazil, pehaps you could answer my original question, or did you find a magical way to live without money,
Thanks.

The "fun" starts when you have to pay your rent in cash that you want to withdraw from ATM's with your foreign credit card, especially in Rio where rent is high.

I found out that Itau has a 1500 Real limit ... but than had to realize they can not handle modern credit cards, often dysfunctional or did bill me but not spit out any cash, not worth the trouble, safer to go for HSBC (if they are still there by now) and live with 1000 or less per withdrawal.

Some locals said you can actually just do another withdrawal right after the first one, in other words it's not a daily limit but just a per-withdrawal limit, but i never put this to the test myself.

Banco do Brasil does not even accept foreign credit cards.

One other option for you may be to go into the bank, and, if you have the time to wait in line, ask the teller to make a withdrawal for you with your card! I did that a few times when I needed a larger amount.

A few weeks ago I used by foreign credit card several times at various ATMs from the Banco do Brasil.

Banco do Brasil does not even accept foreign credit cards.

They do. Maybe not your particular card but they most certainly do.

For more than the last 10 years I had been able to use a British bank card to withdraw Reais equivalent to the normal UK daily limit at ATM's in Brasil. Actual limit varies depending on which UK bank.
However, about a year ago the daily limit was suddenly reduced to R$500 (about £90). This is at Banco do Brasil.
Note that ATM machines vary and some cards don't work in some machines but ATM's normally have stickers with logos of cards that work.
Remember also that ATM's here are generally inside banks or public places like shopping centres and airports so security is better than if they were the hole in the wall type outside in the street like UK.
Another good thing is they normally recognise a foreign card and automatically give choice of language.
Arriving Guarulhos there's a row of ATM's as soon as you come out of arrivals, I've used a UK card in them many times without problem.