Halifax and non sterling transaction fees

Abby23

I moved to Halifax last month and have just been charged a non sterling transaction fee but the only thing I can think of that I have bought that wasn't in sterling was bought via paypal (which is linked to my account) and I used to make similar payments all the time when I was with Santander and never got charged a fee for it.

Is this a fee there is no way around with Halifax or is there perhaps a box I haven't ticked somewhere that can stop this fee occurring?

jonesMUFCforever

Have you used the card abroad or used the card to pay outside the UK?

Abby23

No the only thing I have done is buy some books off an American website priced in $ and I paid via paypal so I'm assuming it has to be that. There are no suspicious transactions on my statement, I know what everything listed is and it was all stuff that's priced in £ bar the one transaction with paypal.

grumbler

IIRC, when paying in foreign currency there is some option at PP to select who performs the conversion: PP or the bank.
If it's PP, then the card is charged in £, otherwise it's charged in the currency.

Paypal charges 3% for $->£ conversion; Halifax charges £1.50+2.75%.
Santaner charges £1.25+2.75%.

Your Card's Overseas Charges

https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/cross-border-and-conversion-fees