Halifax hidden charges...

pneking

:mad:
before going on holiday last week, i decided to purchase my euros online from the post office as they would deliver to the branch up the road, a fantastic service... however, i paid for it using my halifax one credit card as i do with all online purchases.

when i went to pay off the £600 pound charge from the post office (correct balance), there was a seperate item on my statement for £18.22 for a "CASH ADVANCE FEE". i contacted halifax, who said it was NOTHING to do with them and to contact the post office.

the post office inevitably said that it was halifax....

back to the halifax and they then said it WAS them and they were charging me 3% for the money because they see it the same as getting money out of an ATM, not an online purchase.

i said to the operator will he remove it, to which he replied no, so i asked to speak to some one who could remove it and he told me that there was no-one else who could help and that was tough and he would send me the T&Cs...
i then said (still being polite) that if i closed my current account, isa, regular saver AND credit card.. them would they re-emburse me...

the answer i got was no!!

i know its only £18 but its the principle and after a quick look on the website i cant fine where it clearly states this charge.

has anyone else had this problem and got their money back or is it a case of tough luck???

ILW

All credit cards charge a cash withdrawel fee as far as I know. Cannot see it would make any difference which currency.
I believe you would not have been charged if you had used a debit card.

pneking

thats the thing you see, i thought buying money online would be the same as buying a cd from play.com, i would understand if i had gone to a hole in the wall..

loveNYC

Yes I think you will find if it is a credit card they do charge for drawing money - however if it is a debit card this is shocking, I have a halifax account to I will definatley look into it.

speedbird1973

As we're in the Credit Card Forum I'll assume it's a credit card.

It's clear in the T&Cs of the card - and most Travel Agents have a sign saying "Credit Card companies will treat this as a cash advance".

You'll also be paying over 25% APR on the "cash" balance and if you have other debt on the card at a lower interest rate then the 25% debt will be the last to be paid off!!

So you're stuffed!

King_Of_Fools

All credit cards will charge this cash advance fee plus interest from the day the money was bought to the day you pay the full amount back.

Visa debit cards will also charge the cash advance fee. Maestro debit cards are free.

dfh

Very annoying.i would pay it off and take my custom elsewhere.And use a debit card in future.

YorkshireBoy

pneking wrote: »

...after a quick look on the website i cant fine where it clearly states this charge.

From your T&C's...

Section 6 - "Cash advance - cash, traveller's cheques or foreign currency obtained by using the card"

Section 4.2 - "We will charge handling fees for cash advances...The details of these charges are shown in conditions 5..."

Section 5.1 - "We make a handling charge of 3% (at least £3) for all cash advances..."


BTW, you do know you're also incurring interest on this cash advance balance at circa 27.9% APR? And will continue to do so until you completely clear the entire balance on your card for two consecutive billing cycles.

CannyJock

pneking wrote: »

or is it a case of tough luck???

Fraid so. Everyone gets caught out with this at one point or another. I got caught out using a VISA debit card years ago - ever since I've withdrawn cash from an ATM and then got it changed.

CannyJock

pneking wrote: »

thats the thing you see, i thought buying money online would be the same as buying a cd from play.com, i would understand if i had gone to a hole in the wall..

If only It'd be a nice way to get cash out of a credit card without incurring any fees.

Any

dfh wrote: »

Very annoying.i would pay it off and take my custom elsewhere.And use a debit card in future.

I don't think that would help. The CREDIT CARD (rule number 2 - never ever withdraw cash from a credit card) will always charge fees and high interest on cash withdrawals. I cannot see how buying cash in different currency is any different from withdrawing cash.