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debit card dispute?

mawdeuce
Posts: 2 Newbie

I am honestly not even sure of this is the correct place, but here goes nothing.
I went to Marrakesh on honeymoon, used my debit card to get a prepaid debit card (which i have not used), on the way home i went back to the exchange desk and they assured me they'd refund me.
This was in October, i've had no refund despite multiple emails/a complaint to them. I have gone to my bank and they've said it's gone through as an ATM withdrawal - which it wasn't. It seems this currency place does this to loads of people. I used my debit card on a chip and pin machine at the desk. I did not receive any cash in hand
To be honest I think I'm out of luck with this one and down a few hundred quid, am i correct?
I went to Marrakesh on honeymoon, used my debit card to get a prepaid debit card (which i have not used), on the way home i went back to the exchange desk and they assured me they'd refund me.
This was in October, i've had no refund despite multiple emails/a complaint to them. I have gone to my bank and they've said it's gone through as an ATM withdrawal - which it wasn't. It seems this currency place does this to loads of people. I used my debit card on a chip and pin machine at the desk. I did not receive any cash in hand
To be honest I think I'm out of luck with this one and down a few hundred quid, am i correct?
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Comments
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sounds like the same thing that happens at lots of foreign exchange desks where if you get USD or euros that's considered a cash withdrawal rather than a purchase and so you get charged like that. Just because it's a card that's holding the money rather than you having currency in you hand it's treated the same.
Where was the place you bought the card from?? Airport or similar? In the UK? That might all change the advice.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Debt Free Wannabe and Old Style Money Saving boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
"Never retract, never explain, never apologise; get things done and let them howl.” Nellie McClung0 -
When you bought the prepaid debit card/loaded cash on to it - this is a cash transaction rather than a retail purchase. If you had used a credit card rather than your debit card, it would have been treated as a cash advance.
As a learning point for next time, don't trust these foreign financial institutions because they're not regulated in the way British institutions are.
When I go abroad I withdraw a small amount of cash from a bank's ATM using my Kroo bank card, for places where I can't pay by credit card. Wherever possible, I make payments using my Halifax Clarity credit card.0 -
mawdeuce said:I am honestly not even sure of this is the correct place, but here goes nothing.
I went to Marrakesh on honeymoon, used my debit card to get a prepaid debit card (which i have not used), on the way home i went back to the exchange desk and they assured me they'd refund me.
This was in October, i've had no refund despite multiple emails/a complaint to them. I have gone to my bank and they've said it's gone through as an ATM withdrawal - which it wasn't. It seems this currency place does this to loads of people. I used my debit card on a chip and pin machine at the desk. I did not receive any cash in hand
To be honest I think I'm out of luck with this one and down a few hundred quid, am i correct?
Sadly the bank are right. Unless you have a receipt stating that you were refunded ££ on date to card ed 1234Life in the slow lane0 -
I bought it at the exchange desk. They did not give me a receipt, apparently this is quite common for them. I still have the card but you can't use it in the UK.
annoyingly we have a Revolut card and it was the ONLY thing my husband was responsible for, he forgot until we were in Morocco. We had no signal to move money to the Revolut card in the queue :-(0 -
Mark_d said:When you bought the prepaid debit card/loaded cash on to it - this is a cash transaction rather than a retail purchase. If you had used a credit card rather than your debit card, it would have been treated as a cash advance.
As a learning point for next time, don't trust these foreign financial institutions because they're not regulated in the way British institutions are.
When I go abroad I withdraw a small amount of cash from a bank's ATM using my Kroo bank card, for places where I can't pay by credit card. Wherever possible, I make payments using my Halifax Clarity credit card.
It is not obvious how they have a sustainable business as everything seems to be free and their accounts show a loss 28 million in 2023
I will caveat that I have a grandfathered Santander Zero fee free card as well
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