Using Credit Cards Abroad (DCC Scam)

ffym

Sorry if I'm breaking rules here but the original thread refered only to Spain (Last posts here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=1633471#post1633471)
I repeat my warning here as it's obviously becoming a widespread problem:
Just got back from Dublin and had a nightmare of a time with this when trying to pay using Nationwide CC. Unless I insisted on paying in Euros most places converted the amount to £ and added 3% for the "service". The cheek was that the signature slip has a clause printed on it to say I had opted for the conversion and that decision was irreversable! Making a fuss usually sorts thing out but it's really annoying that this scam is being widly applied. I'm not sure if the shops / restaraunts have been told to do this by Visa (as a usefull "service") or if they get a cut, but be warned - get in first and insist on paying in Euros, even if it does get you odd looks by those who aren't in on this scam.

Bernard_Coleslaw

Visa have actually just started clamping down on retailers that misuse DCC (possibly ahead of the regulators getting heavy)!

BC

JoseChungsDoomsday

I got hit quite a few times while in spain the last month (never being given an option to choose what way i wanted the transaction to go through) on my mastercard. needless to say, I wont be going back anytime soon!

ffym

Bernard_Coleslaw wrote:

Visa have actually just started clamping down on retailers that misuse DCC (possibly ahead of the regulators getting heavy)!

BC

I'm not sure what the retailers can be getting from this, do they get a cut? Anyone know if we do the same to visitors to the UK?

grumbler

ffym wrote:

I'm not sure what the retailers can be getting from this, do they get a cut?

See posts #50-51 in credit card exchange rate in Spain thread.

Anyone know if we do the same to visitors to the UK?

All this is almost irrelevant for holders of majority of credit cards, because difference between 3% charged by a local bank (DCC) and usual 2.75% charged by majority of card issuers is negligibly small. Only Nationwide cardholders suffer from this because Nationwide don't charge this common 2.75%. Also holders of a few other cards that don't charge this comission too (or charge much smaller fee).