pollensa
Founder
Credit Cards & Exchange Rates
See this article in : www.thisismoney.co.uk Some businesses who accept Credit Cards especially in Spain are converting EUR to GBP using their 'selected' rate so that you get charged in GBP. They are supposed to ask you but of course they don't. They then get the commission.
I only read about it once I came home & am now reconciling my Credit Card bill. I have found one restaurant (in Alcudia) who has charged me in GBP using their selected exchange rate instead of that used by Barclaycard. Barclaycard are not particularly good but even so we ended up being overcharged by about 70p Apparently if you have Nationwide who don't charge commission the difference can be much greater.
When we paid in the restaurant the bill came to 116.31 eur & I think I put a pin number in. I just checked the amount but was not asked if I agreed to pay in GBP & didn't look at the credit card slip. Looking at it now it states:
"I accept that I have been offered a choice of currenciies for payment. I accept the conversion rate & final amount"
Well I didn't. So look out!
See this article in : www.thisismoney.co.uk Some businesses who accept Credit Cards especially in Spain are converting EUR to GBP using their 'selected' rate so that you get charged in GBP. They are supposed to ask you but of course they don't. They then get the commission.
I only read about it once I came home & am now reconciling my Credit Card bill. I have found one restaurant (in Alcudia) who has charged me in GBP using their selected exchange rate instead of that used by Barclaycard. Barclaycard are not particularly good but even so we ended up being overcharged by about 70p Apparently if you have Nationwide who don't charge commission the difference can be much greater.
When we paid in the restaurant the bill came to 116.31 eur & I think I put a pin number in. I just checked the amount but was not asked if I agreed to pay in GBP & didn't look at the credit card slip. Looking at it now it states:
"I accept that I have been offered a choice of currenciies for payment. I accept the conversion rate & final amount"
Well I didn't. So look out!
