ATMs are situated at several locations across the US.
Nowadays, most people would be hard-pressed to go anywhere within the US and not have at least a few different ATMs close to where they live or work. In addition, there are more than 500,000 ATMs all over the country, meaning that it has become more accessible and more convenient than ever before for people to access their cash in a hurry – especially if they don’t have a physical branch of their bank or credit union nearby.
Most Popular Locations for ATMs to be Located
These days, you can expect one or more ATM units to be situated in locations such as:
- Busy street corners
- Some college campuses
- Various gas station franchises
- Bars
- Restaurants
- Casinos
- Supermarkets
- Hotel lobbies
- Gas Stations
- Most of the popular malls
- Virtually anywhere else where cash is the primary form of currency being used
Who Owns the ATMs in the US?
Although almost half of the ATMs throughout the US are owned by independent owners and operators, the rest belong to the four largest bank franchises in the country, namely:
Most of the larger credit union franchises also have an extensive shared ATM network. This allows customers to use various ATMs without worrying about being charged hefty out-of-network fees in most cases.
Finding the Nearest ATM
Most banks and major credit unions now have dedicated banking apps, and in many cases, these can direct you to the closest ATM in the area where you live or work. This means that you won’t have to spend ages searching through the phone directory or even on the internet because the app will search for you.
Remember that some apps will direct you to the closest ATM in your area, regardless of whether it is part of your bank’s network. As such, you need to check any recommendations carefully before using an ATM – failure to do so could result in you having to pay a hefty fee for using a different bank’s ATM.
Avoiding Unnecessary Fees
The easiest way to avoid paying unnecessary ATM fees is only used machines that are part of your bank or credit union’s network. In addition, you’ll often be provided with a predetermined amount of free ATM transactions per month from your bank, so it’s best to take advantage of this whenever possible.
If you know that you will be billed for using an ATM, there may be another alternative: requesting a cash-back transaction when making a purchase in a local store. However, some stores may impose limits on the amount of cash you can request per transaction, so it’s recommended that you inquire about this beforehand.
ATM Safety Tips
You should not go to any ATM alone, especially if you intend to withdraw a large amount of cash. Always try to take a friend or family member along so they can keep a lookout for anything out of the ordinary while you’re busy withdrawing.
Before inserting your card into any ATM, scrutinize the card slot to ensure it hasn’t been tampered with. If any signs of tampering are visible, this should be reported to the bank, credit union, or other institution that owns the ATM as soon as possible.
Always check the amount of cash issued to you by the ATM to ensure that it corresponds with the amount you requested when making the withdrawal. Any shortages or overages must also be reported as quickly as possible.