For some time now VRT’s consumer programme WinWin has been receiving complaints from people experiencing problems with the ATMs at Belgian CASH points. Sometimes people have deposited cash without the amount appearing on their account. Sometimes no money, or too little, comes out of the ATM, yet the full amount is still debited from their account.
Cashpoint operator concedes “there are problems with ATM deposits and withdrawal”
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Last summer, Delfien Verhelst wanted to deposit 4,500 euros in cash – the takings from her veterinary practice in Drongen (East Flanders). After she had inserted the banknotes into the machine, it suddenly jammed.
“A slip of paper came out saying there was a technical problem, but that my money was safe. Everything would be credited to my account within 10 working days at the latest.” Except… that didn’t happen, and she was kept waiting by cashpoint operator, Batopin, and by her bank. Until Delfien called in the police.
What is Batopin?
Batopin is a company founded by four major banks operating in Belgium: ING, Belfius, BNP Paribas Fortis and KBC. Under the name CASH, it installs cash machines throughout Belgium. The federal government has reached agreements on this matter with the banking sector and Batopin, to ensure that there remain sufficient locations where people can withdraw cash. By the end of 2027, there should be around 1,065 CASH points available in the country, and 95 per cent of all Belgians should be able to find an ATM within a 5-kilometre radius of their home.
‘We contacted Batopin and our own bank on several occasions. We never heard anything back from Batopin itself, apart from the fact that they couldn’t help us. We did hear from the bank, but the money still hadn’t been paid into our account,’ explains Delfien. "A few weeks after the problem with the cash machine, we finally went to the police. Shortly afterwards, part of our money – around 2,300 euros – suddenly appeared in our account.”
Delfien eventually received the other half of the amount from her own bank. According to Delfien, this was “a goodwill gesture”. So, the money has been returned, but Delfien is still left with many questions. “They claim they never found the money I put into the cash machine. So where did all those notes go?”
Batopin admits that there are problems with transactions where money is not deposited or withdrawn correctly. Commercial Director Maria Janart is keen to emphasise, however, that these problems are exceptional.
What should you do?
Various accounts from victims suggest that Batopin often refers people who are duped back to their bank – and vice versa – when they ask for help. Once and for all: who should you turn to for help if something goes wrong at an ATM? “It is always your own bank that is your point of contact in the event of problems, whether it concerns withdrawing or depositing money. We cannot access users’ details. Only the banks can do that. People are customers of their bank, not of us.”
According to Janart, there has indeed been some confusion about this in the past. “We’ve reviewed this internally and made clear agreements with the banks.”
Batopin does, however, state that it cooperates with the investigation launched by the bank whenever something goes wrong. According to Janart, the company can, amongst other things, retrieve timestamps and transaction details from the ATMs and provide this information to the banks. CCTV footage can also be supplied.
More cashpoints needed
As well as the problems with how the cashpoints operate, there is also the issue of accessibility. In the space of three years, more than 2,000 ATMs disappeared in Belgium – around 35 per cent of the total number of cash machines in 2022.
Batopin must now help to make up for that shortfall. By 2027, there should be 1,065 CASH locations across Belgium. “We already have 945 active locations,” says Janart. “98 locations are currently under construction, and we are still looking for a suitable site for 22 others. So, we will certainly achieve that target.”