ATH

Questions and Answers For consumers

1. What is the ATHŽ Network?
2. What should I do if I loose my ATHŽ card?
3. How would I know if my card could be used at a given ATM or a merchant for purchase?
4. Why is it convenient for me to use the ATHŽ Card at the point-of-sales (POS)
5. Which types of transactions are available with my card?
6. Could I make a deposit of payment at any ATM participating in the ATHŽ Network?
7. Which security measures should I observe when utilizing my card at an ATM? POS?

1. What is the ATH® Network?

The ATH® Network, based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was initiated in 1983 and since then has attained a remarkable expansion. Presently operates in the Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica market areas and with and outlook toward of Central America and Caribbean markets.

Benefits to the cardholders

Access to your bank funds at more than 860 ATMs in Puerto Rico, more than 745 in the Dominican Republic and in more than 200 in Costa Rica.
Additional and better-located ATMs.
Worldwide access to your bank accounts through over one million ATMs under the Visa® /Plus®, MasterCard®/Cirrus® and American Express® NYCE®, and Star® Networks.
Payments with ATH® cards for products or services at merchants in Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic.

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2. What should I do if I loose my ATH® card?

For your convenience and safety, the ATH® Network has outlined a number of safety measures and concerns that must be observed while using ATMs and point-of-sales.

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3. How would I know if my card could be used at a given ATM or a merchant for purchase?

Participant institutions in the ATH® Network are required to display the ATH® logo at all ATMs that accept the ATH card as well as at merchant's locations where the ATH® card can be used for the purchase of products and services. At merchant's locations the ATH® logo may be found displayed at entrance doors and cash register stations.

Some merchants, particularly those at shopping malls, limit the display of the acceptable cards to cash register stations.

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4. Why is it convenient for me to use the ATH® Card at the point-of-sales (POS).

Your payments at merchants and service providers turn out to be more convenient and secure with the ATH® card than with checks or cash. The transaction goes faster, more secure, and prevents you from having to carry excess cash in your purse or wallet, or having to have your checkbook with you all the time. The receipt you will receive will show in you monthly account statement.

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5. Which types of transactions are available with my card?

Presently there are three types of electronic funds transactions (EFT):

ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) - Aside from cash withdrawal, you will be able to obtain balances and make transfers among accounts within the same bank, e.g. from checking to savings.
Point of sale (POS) - This type of transaction takes place at a merchant's site or service provider as a mean of payment. It is an on-line, secured transaction in direct link to the computer of the institution holding your account balances and verified by your use of a personal identification number (PIN) at the time of the transaction.
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) - This transaction allows holders of a benefits transfer card issued by federal or state agencies to withdraw cash or make payment in the same manner as any other ATH® cardholder. The withdrawn funds are deducted from the benefits allocated to the EBT cardholder who may make partial or total withdrawals, at will. At this time, "Tu Tarjeta de la Familia" is the EBT card for Puerto Rico.

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6. Could I make a deposit of payment at any ATM participating in the ATH® Network?

Presently, if you wish to make a payment or deposit at an ATM, they most be done at an ATM belonging to the account holding institution and that accepts that type of transaction. Prevailing laws regulating financial institutions do not allow for deposit interchange among financial institutions.

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7. Which security measures should I observe when utilizing my card at an ATM? POS?

An ATM is an exceptional mean of obtaining cash, but entails some precautionary measures to avoid being a crime victim. A partial list of pro-active measures to be observed before, during and after effecting a transaction in an ATM can be found in our page Safety Hints when Using an ATM.

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