MSE News: Have you ever paid in euros abroad but been charged in pounds?

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  • JezR
    JezR Posts: 1,697 Forumite
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    It is 'consumer protection bodies' that require DCC to be allowed, at least in some countries. Visa/MC would I guess like to see the back of it.
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 20,323 Forumite
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    JezR wrote: »
    It is 'consumer protection bodies' that require DCC to be allowed, at least in some countries. Visa/MC would I guess like to see the back of it.
    They might require it to be "allowed". But they should also require it not to be imposed without consent.
  • atruefaker
    atruefaker Posts: 167 Forumite
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    I am currently on holiday in Greece and I have just been charged me in GBP despite me insisting on Euros. I was using a Santander Zero card, no foreign fees.

    The owner at the restaurant had a handheld machine, it was all in Greek and he couldn’t change the language (he said) but assured me it was in Euros.

    On being handed the receipt, (it was as the MSE Guy example on the site) I had been charged in GBP and I had accepted this with a 3% mark up. I had not. I asked the owner to cancel the transaction and he refused, he said it was the bank and machine’s fault and not his problem. There was nothing he could do or would do.

    I called Santander straight away and they said they could do nothing as it was in the processing stage, also that I would have to prove I had not accepted the transaction. I queried this and asked how this is possible to prove unless they are present at the time.

    I will carry on contacting Santander and it may only be for a couple of pounds, however, it is the principle. The Santander advisor also suggested leaving a Tripadvisor review about it.
  • jonesMUFCforever
    jonesMUFCforever Posts: 28,898 Forumite
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    atruefaker wrote: »
    I am currently on holiday in Greece and I have just been charged me in GBP despite me insisting on Euros. I was using a Santander Zero card, no foreign fees.

    The owner at the restaurant had a handheld machine, it was all in Greek and he couldn’t change the language (he said) but assured me it was in Euros.

    On being handed the receipt, (it was as the MSE Guy example on the site) I had been charged in GBP and I had accepted this with a 3% mark up. I had not. I asked the owner to cancel the transaction and he refused, he said it was the bank and machine’s fault and not his problem. There was nothing he could do or would do.

    I called Santander straight away and they said they could do nothing as it was in the processing stage, also that I would have to prove I had not accepted the transaction. I queried this and asked how this is possible to prove unless they are present at the time.

    I will carry on contacting Santander and it may only be for a couple of pounds, however, it is the principle. The Santander advisor also suggested leaving a Tripadvisor review about it.

    Did you enter your pin?
    If you did you accepted the transaction.
    If not and they processed it anyway you might have had a case.
    If it ever happens again ask the restaurant where the nearest ATM is and go and get cash.
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 20,323 Forumite
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    jonesMUFCforever wrote: »
    Did you enter your pin?
    If you did you accepted the transaction.
    Have you even read this thread and the article in the OP? The currency is converted after entering the PIN. The conversion was not accepted. The PP should get a refund from his bank, there's even a specific chargeback code for it.
  • jonesMUFCforever
    jonesMUFCforever Posts: 28,898 Forumite
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    zagfles wrote: »
    Have you even read this thread and the article in the OP? The currency is converted after entering the PIN. The conversion was not accepted. The PP should get a refund from his bank, there's even a specific chargeback code for it.

    The amount would have shown on the screen?
  • atruefaker
    atruefaker Posts: 167 Forumite
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    I entered my pin to accept a payment in local currency and not GBP. I have never paid in GBP on my travels so this is not something I would accept.

    The original article has noted that many of these merchants and banks split the commission, which is why they are fraudulently putting through these transactions. It’s dishonest to do to anyone, and then feign that you don’t understand, it was someone else’s fault or that the customer didn’t tell to pay in the local currency. By reporting it, I hope that it can help others as it’s another ‘acceptable way’ to cheat people.
  • alant47
    alant47 Posts: 10 Forumite
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    On a recent visit to Hong Kong I came across this problem 3 times in 6 transactions, all with "reputable" merchants or hotels, which suggests the DCC scam is as prevalent there as it has become in Thailand where I use my Visa card only in emergencies. The scam is simple. The sales agent hands the terminal to you only for the entry of the PIN. Home currency is selected by them, and the 3.5% commission warning is unseen by the customer. If the small print disclaimer is noticed, (I did spot it in 2 of the 3 cases, a manager has to be called and 20 minutes wasted to reverse, then redo the transaction)

    The last one was a supposed hotel pre-authorisation of HK$5000 which went through as a payment, in home currency naturally, at £507.23. After chasing for a refund, specifying home currency in writing, we got a refund of HK$5000 which reappeared in our account as £476.45. 6.46% or £30.78 gone, no service or goods provided. This one is with our card issuer and I think it is close enough to outright fraud to be worth taking it up in County Court if they refuse a refund.

    Visa International are uninterested BTW. I went to the trouble of annotating a sales docket once in Thai Duty Free Shop that I had repeatedly requested payment in Thai Baht or to have the transaction cancelled. Both were refused. I sent Visa a copy of their own rules for merchants. No interest at all.

    The problem will get worse as the failure of Visa to police their own rules and the aggregate sums earned by unscrupulous banks ever larger will ensure.

    Scan every receipt and be prepared to argue loud and long seems to be the only defence.
  • benjus
    benjus Posts: 5,433 Forumite
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    atruefaker wrote: »
    I am currently on holiday in Greece and I have just been charged me in GBP despite me insisting on Euros. I was using a Santander Zero card, no foreign fees.

    Wow, you found the one working card machine in all of Greece :p
    Let's settle this like gentlemen: armed with heavy sticks
    On a rotating plate, with spikes like Flash Gordon
    And you're Peter Duncan; I gave you fair warning
  • roger_2011
    roger_2011 Posts: 1 Newbie
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    This has long been a problem in the Canary Islands, even after a clear request for Euros, they charge in GBP, usually a complaint and a request to void and recharge solves the overcharge, its just time consuming and despite the usual apologies you know it will happen again.


    There is a very large supermarket group HiperDino where this is endemic, is it staff error, is it staff incompetence or is it a company that encourages this? who knows.


    Remember the name HiperDino if shopping in the Canaries or Spain, pay cash or watch the transaction like a hawk.
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