I used Cap One last fall in PAris and it was great.

It is getting quite a workout right now in Paris, too!

I don't think you can do better. I guess a few credit unions do not charge the fee.

Cap One is the way to go til someone comes along with something better!!

ML does offer a VISA card and I have always found their conversion rates to be excellent.

Because I am annoyed about the 3% PLUS $3 per charge that Chase charges for overseas ATM use, I visited a Capital One bank this morning to inquire about their ATM fees. The person in the bank, a Senior Client Rep, "did not have the information" about foreign ATM fees.


When I suggested that she place a call to someone who might know, she agreed. That person had no idea, either. Told me to call again in a few days and they would "try" to get the information for me. As I was walking out, the Rep did give me some excellent new information: They use a different currency in Europe!!! They DO NOT take US dollars!!! The ATM does not give out US dollars!!!

Pass it along!

:)

oops - meant :D

ekscrunchy, that's hysterical, but at least your bank knew that ATMs in Europe won't dispense US dollars. At my bank once the teller told me if I was worried about the exchange costs to just "tell the machine" I wanted my cash in dollars and not "French or Italian money".

ekscrunchy, I will be using a CapOne debit card next week and so can report back on what I was charged. Based on the fee disclosure, I expect to be charged 0% for foreign transactions and possibly $1.50* for out-of-network ATM fee. (* from memory, could be slightly different).

I can't believe the number of people who really seem to be missing the point here (including the original poster). If this was recent (and the poster indicates "just returning") then it has nothing to do with getting taken by Capital One, but getting some wonderful mistaken bonus from Merril Lynch who made a major mistake in your favor!

ignore my previous post, I see that all that has already been covered, somehow I scrolled past it all. Sorry.

Travelnut: Thanks..please let us know. Honestly the people in that branch seem so clueless (and this is in midtown Manhattan!) that I might hesitate even opening an account with the bank. Has no one ever walked into that branch and asked about foreign exchange fees? Crazy!

I made 3 ATM withdrawals using my Capital One Debit card.

I'll try to make a little 'chart'; the daily rates were taken from Oanda.com (actual $amt is what showed on my statement)

Trans---W/D---Interbank---Calc'd---Actual
date-----Amt--------Rate------$amt-----$amt

4/28---200€---1.5632---$312.64---$312.00
5/01---150€---1.5570---$233.55---$232.63
5/05---250€---1.5429---$385.72---$385.71

So, no additional % for foreign conversion. There was a $1.50 charge per transaction for the ATM usage.