Non Sterling Transactions

grumbler

Money_Changer wrote: »

I was unaware of this cut. I have never come it across it before...being mainly UK based.

Well, normally you just need to read the 'Summary box', not even the small print, to come across.

There was no indication of this cut at the point of transaction.

As it's your card provider that charges you, how can it 'indicate' this at the point of transaction?

It basically added another £80 to overall cost; that was in addition to an increased amount due to the exchange rate having fallen between transaction time and the merchant posting it to Mastercard.
In total just over £130 extra out of pocket.

For such big transaction you really should have done some research.

agarnett

As we know, Paypal is based in Europe (Luxembourg, I think?)

I frequently make Paypal transactions in USD AUD and EUR (including purchases from outside Europe) paid via a credit card with no Europe FOREX commission or fee. I am pretty certain they ALL come through as the straight Mastercard rate on the day.

If I am right, using Paypal to "spoil" the attempts by card issuers to surcharge for non-Europe transactions can be circumvented by using Paypal. I have a feeling that the card issuers define non-Europe not by a currency's location, but only by the location of the merchant (irrespective of the currency of the transaction). And if PayPal is used, then they become the merchant, and their location is Luxembourg? Has anyone else noticed anything similar, or can anyone confirm?

mdavison

Exiting Abu Dhabi through dfs duty free, I bought alcohol. Dialogue with the cashier and I requested billing in local currency, AED. I deleted the £ on the till voucher and signed as requested. Purchases and paperwork into sealed bag.
Subsequent check of credit card statement disclosed DCC conversion rate applied, not the specialised credit card rate.
Email report to dfs and requested they correct the charge from £ to AED, as yet no response.
I would be grateful for suggestions for a course of action.
Thank you and regards.

bigadaj

mdavison wrote: »

Exiting Abu Dhabi through dfs duty free, I bought alcohol. Dialogue with the cashier and I requested billing in local currency, AED. I deleted the £ on the till voucher and signed as requested. Purchases and paperwork into sealed bag.
Subsequent check of credit card statement disclosed DCC conversion rate applied, not the specialised credit card rate.
Email report to dfs and requested they correct the charge from £ to AED, as yet no response.
I would be grateful for suggestions for a course of action.
Thank you and regards.

Report it to your bank as an unauthorised transaction, you'll probably get it free.

grumbler

mdavison wrote: »

... I deleted the £ on the till voucher and signed as requested

Signed? Was it not a PIN-authorused transaction? And how can you correct the currency without changing the amount?

bigadaj wrote: »

Report it to your bank as an unauthorised transaction, you'll probably get it free.

The transaction was authorised. Even if it was authorised in a different currency, this is a different reason for chargeback, not 'unauthorised'.

mdavison

Voucher quoted both AED selling price for products and, dfs GBP equivalent.

zagfles

mdavison wrote: »

Voucher quoted both AED selling price for products and, dfs GBP equivalent.

Yes this is usual with DCC. As above report it to your bank, don't bother trying to contact the retailer.

mdavison

Many thanks for replies.
I emailed Abu Dhabi consumer rights site, no response.
I chatted with my CC provider, they were not optimistic.
So maybe I will explore the following;
My extra charges for DCC are less than £1, so for me it's principle and learning all the ins & outs of how I could fall the wrong way for DCC & courses of action for recovery of extra charges.
In the UK(/EU) does the retailer require authority from the FCA to benefit from the conversion?
What will be the position for contact-less CC operation?
Maybe Which? would like a heads-up to start one of their campaigns?
At point of sale seems the approach is; only charges in local country currency accepted, no pin & don't sign anything, if charged DCC insist transaction is voided, walk away & leave goods on counter.
Am I really p****d at having to be doubly aware of another money making scam... , when all she wants is anti-wrinkle cream.
Thank you and regards

chattychappy

mdavison wrote: »

Exiting Abu Dhabi through dfs duty free, I bought alcohol. Dialogue with the cashier and I requested billing in local currency, AED. I deleted the £ on the till voucher and signed as requested.

mdavison wrote: »

Voucher quoted both AED selling price for products and, dfs GBP equivalent.

It seems to me that DCC was applied to the transaction when they printed out the receipt. That is why the it showed the AED price and the GBP equivalent (which would have been converted at the poor DCC rate). Really you shouldn't have signed at all - insisting they run the transaction again in AED only. If they refused, then practically you have no choice except to walk, though under the Visa/Mastercard rules you are always meant to be given a choice.

mdavison wrote: »

I chatted with my CC provider, they were not optimistic.

It's nice to have a chat sometimes, but remember you are not asking for their "help". You are disputing a transaction and the law says it is for them to prove the transaction rather than for you to prove there was a problem. So if you're keen, just dispute it. Since you modified the receipt, if they produce it it will show clearly that the billing should have been in GBP. If they can't retrieve the receipt signature for a signed-for transaction, then it's their loss.

mdavison wrote: »

So maybe I will explore the following;
My extra charges for DCC are less than £1, so for me it's principle and learning all the ins & outs of how I could fall the wrong way for DCC & courses of action for recovery of extra charges.
In the UK(/EU) does the retailer require authority from the FCA to benefit from the conversion?
What will be the position for contact-less CC operation?
Maybe Which? would like a heads-up to start one of their campaigns?
At point of sale seems the approach is; only charges in local country currency accepted, no pin & don't sign anything, if charged DCC insist transaction is voided, walk away & leave goods on counter.
Am I really p****d at having to be doubly aware of another money making scam... , when all she wants is anti-wrinkle cream.
Thank you and regards

Yep it's a pain. I face it all the time in my travels. In fact I've even started using cash again in places where I know it is/could be a problem just to avoid the aggro. Probably eventually something will be done, but Visa/Mastercard are worldwide networks and this is easy money for them and their merchants. I wouldn't expect anything to happen soon. At the moment, regulators hold on to the myth that you are always given an informed choice so it's up to the consumer.

eDicky

chattychappy wrote: »

Probably eventually something will be done, but Visa/Mastercard are worldwide networks and this is easy money for them.

My understanding was that the proceeds of DCC goes to the merchant and/or a third party payment processor, or the bank that operates an ATM - not to MasterCard and Visa. Do they in fact take a cut?