MSE News: Have you ever paid in euros abroad but been charged in pounds?

ask66

alant47 wrote: »

Visa International are uninterested BTW. I went to the trouble of annotating a sales docket once in Thai Duty Free Shop that I had repeatedly requested payment in Thai Baht or to have the transaction cancelled. Both were refused. I sent Visa a copy of their own rules for merchants. No interest at all.

The problem will get worse as the failure of Visa to police their own rules and the aggregate sums earned by unscrupulous banks ever larger will ensure.

Scan every receipt and be prepared to argue loud and long seems to be the only defence.

Couldn't agree more alant47. I've had similar experiences in Spain. I emailed Visa Europe who said it was nothing to do with them. My credit card company (Nationwide BS) don't seem too concerned either - even though their staff must spend many hours sorting these dodgy transactions out.

Incidentally, Firefly car rental in Spain (part of Hertz Corporation) ALWAYS charge in GBP regardless of any instructions given. Every time I use them, I know I will have to contact Nationwide BS afterwards to get a refund of a few pounds. But no-one in authority seems interested in doing anything about it!

adindas

zagfles wrote: »

It's like ATMs which often ask a second time after you decline DCC. They want you to take the DCC option so they can profit from it.

Based on my personal experience in the EU, the most common ATMs which will ask you to confirm it "twice" (making an impression that you were making the wrong choice) is the "EURONET" ATMs. It seems to me they are putting the tourist trap for those who do not know. The local people will never be effected as they are using a local debit/credit card.

So the best thing to do to avoid this trap is not to use the EURONET ATM network. Better to use a reputable bank cash machine showing MASTER/VISA logo away from the tourist area.

zagfles

adindas wrote: »

Based on my personal experience in the EU, the most common ATMs which will ask you to confirm it "twice" (making an impression that you were making the wrong choice) is the "EURONET" ATMs. It seems to me they are putting the tourist trap for those who do not know. The local people will never be effected as they are using a local debit/credit card.

So the best thing to do to avoid this trap is not to use the EURONET ATM network. Better to use a reputable bank cash machine showing MASTER/VISA logo away from the tourist area.

IIRC Euronet were one of the few ATMs in Spain not to charge last time we were there. Once you know it's only a matter of pressing an extra butten to decline DCC, no need to avoid them.

MarthaM

Just back from a week in Spain. The first two times I paid by card I checked the price was in Euros before entering my PIN only to find the receipt showed GBP. I then did some research and discovered the DCC issue. I realised that the waiter had snatched the terminal off me swiftly so that he could make the selection.
For the rest of the week I maintained a firm grip after putting my PIN in much to the consternation of some of the waiters.


A very simple solution would be for the card issuers to make it mandatory for the PIN to be the last entry.

ask66

MarthaM wrote: »

Just back from a week in Spain. The first two times I paid by card I checked the price was in Euros before entering my PIN only to find the receipt showed GBP. I then did some research and discovered the DCC issue. I realised that the waiter had snatched the terminal off me swiftly so that he could make the selection.

Just get in touch with your card company, explain what happened and say that you want to dispute the transactions. I always do this and have always been given a refund. If enough people do this, the card companies might do something about it!

Sharon87

Had this in the USA at an ATM. I had a Travelex money card with dollars in it, the ATM charged me in GBP, which meant I paid more there, then also charged more by Travelex as I took out 'pounds' on a dollar card! I got a refund when I returned - but I think it was only the Travelex fee was refunded

mj1

Just had this happen to me yesterday and slightly different scam.


I was handed machine for card but shown as pounds not euro's. I said no and handed machine back. The staff member re keyed and again it automatically defaulted to pounds with no ability to pay in euro's. I refused and had to pay in cash as I did not want to pay in pounds!



This was at a bar in Gran Canaria.



BTW comments about Dino supermarket for me does not hold true. I have used Tap payments this last week for times all have gone through ok as euro's. YMMV but I will be checking more carefully now I am aware of this scam.

Sharon87

I've had this in the USA at an ATM in a hotel. I had a currency card with dollars on. The machine asked if I wanted to pay in dollars or pounds, i said dollars. Checked my statement and it charged in pounds, which then triggered another conversion on the card as the card had dollars on!!

Luckily the company refunded me one of the conversion fees.