Currency Exchange Debit card charge?

aphid2aphid

Hello,

I was about to order foreign currency from a link at Travelmoney moneysavingexpert com site only to find that my bank, NatWest, intend to charge me for using my debit card, stating that they will consider it a foreign purchase. Surely they cannot do that? I am only ordering foreign currency.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Andy

dzug1

Oh no not another one. Must be the third this week and it's only Tuesday. (sorry nothing personal - this is a regular topic here. It's just boring answering the same question over and over again. and again.)

Yes they can do it. Most banks do it. The reason you will get given varies according to who you ask - even within the bank. Basically you are getting cash other than from a UK ATM/bank and therefore fall outside fee-free banking. Whether you should or not is a matter for endless and ultimately futile debate

wdw2003

They can and they will if it's in their Ts&Cs. There's info on this site somewhere as to which banks charge for debit card forex purchases. An alternative is to do a Faster Payment transfer which shouldn't cost anything, if the seller allows it, but that'll probably set you back a day.

aphid2aphid

Many thanks for your comments and apologies for going over what seems to be old ground. I am still stunned by this.