Hi all, <BR><BR>I have read many threads on this board re. the use of ATM/CC in France. I have one BofA check card and one BofA credit card. I called the number on the check card twice today to check the transaction fee/conversion fee on the ATM cash withdrawl. First time a guy told me there was 1% transaction fees on any purchases or ATM withdrawl. Second time a lady told me a different thing - $3 flat on any cash advances. I also called the credit card number and was told about a 3% fee. I am very confused. I will call again on Monday, and in the meantime I would appreciate advices from anybody with experience using BofA cards overseas. Thanks!

To add to the confusion, in Italy I use my BofA ATM card a minimum of 10 times a month, and I am charged a flat rate of $1.50. I don't use a credit card for cash withdrawal. <BR><BR>You didn't say where you are going, but just in case, be aware that BofA does not work in the Lyon airport. Lyon and the Madrid airport are the only two in Europe I have run across thus far. In fact, I had trouble all over Madrid finding an ATM machine that would take my card.

You might call your own branch of BofA instead of the number on the check card. depending on your account there may be no feee. I have never paid a fee for ATm use as I have a BofA Advantage account.

I believe that the people recommending ATM cards were referring to cards that withdraw cash directly from your bank account (usually your checking acct), NOT getting cash advances from credit cards. Cash Advances always have steep fees, even if you walk into a US bank to get one.

Can't speak to the conversion fee that a lot of people are charging only that 1% is less than most credit cards. BofA has an agreement with BNP Paribas in France for free ATM acess at all BNP ATMs.

Hey Bob, that's even more information than I've ever been able to get out of Bank of America. I always seem to show a $1.50 fee for using an ATM anywhere in Europe with my BofA ATM card, but last year I noticed that I had no fees in Paris. Now that I think about it, I believe the ATM I happened to use near my hotel was a BNP, so that explains that. Guess this summer I'll keep a heads up for BNP banks in France and try to save a few $1.50 fees. Any similar deal in Italy?<BR>Question to the famous XXX:<BR>Do you mean there is no fee in Europe for Advantage customers? I have a BofA Advantage account and of course, pay no fee anywhere in the US, but have still always had the $1.50 fee in Europe.

Sorry, the last information I was able to get did not include Italy. They had an alliance with Barclays in the UK, Deutsche Bank 24 in Germany and BNP in France. Outside of Europe there was Scotiabank in Canada and Westpack Bank in Australia & New Zealand.<BR>

I heard BoA charges big exchange rate fees when you use it to get cash withdrawls overseas. I think I was quoted about 3% or cash advance, then the flat rate, then the exchange rate. <BR><BR>So I got a Capitol One visa, which does not charge so much. Check it out.

Thank you all for the responses. <BR><BR>What is an Advantage account? I have a Prima account.

Again, L, I think you are talking about cash advances with a credit card, not ATM withdrawals from your checking account. There seems to be no additional charge for those. At least last year, I was charged a very low exchange rate, better than my credit cards for what I withdrew from my checking account at Bank of America.

I have the following pieces of financial plastic through BOA:<BR>1. standard ATM card<BR>2. check card (debit card)<BR>3. Visa credit card.<BR>Here is my CURRENT and AMENDABLE understanding of the situation:<BR>1. I can use my ATM card and/or my check card to withdraw money from my checking account. After the second withdrawal in a month from a non BOA machine, I pay $1.50 per transaction.<BR>The exchange rate as near as I can tell is very close to the bank wholesale rate. That has been the case the last four trips to Europe.<BR>2. I am NOW charged a 3% fee for using my Visa credit card to make a purchase that is NOT US dollar denominated. Visa charges me a flat 1% fee, and has as long as I can remember. BOA now socks on an added 2% for using their card for non dollar denominated purchases. (So the fee is 3%. This practice of charging an extra 2% by BOA was implemented in 2001. I DID NOT use my BOA credit card at all last year in Europe, and I have no intentions of using it this year!)<BR>The extra ripoff is called a "conversion fee", like it costs $10 dollars in computer time to covert about 530 euros to dollars.<BR><BR>3. If I use my credit card to withdraw currency, I am in effect taking a cash advance. Cash advances are expensive because of the fee and the interest you pay. A cash advance is charged with the same usurious interests rates that all people pay when they run an unpaid credit card balance, like 20% a year true interest rates. (If you paid those rates on your mortage, you would never pay off the house!!! You probably could not afford to buy one!!<BR>For example, if you borrowed $200,000 to buy a house and the annual interest rate was 7%, your monthly payments would be $1,550. If you paid credit card rates on the same loan, your monthly payments would be about $3397.00.<BR>Yet people run balances at those kinds of interest rates and think they are justified in doing so. Gotta have it now!! That kid needs that chromium plated 30 speed bike to ride around the neighborhood. And show up for soccer practice in less than the best outfits and NOT riding in a Lexus SUV? What are you some kind of a pervert? Boy, the banks love those people. They are the best of customers!!)<BR>

No, Prima is a checking account. I understand I should not use credit card for cash advances. BofA told me that they would charge a fee on check card cash withdrawl too.

Bob, this is excellent. <BR><BR>Thank you all a lot.