retire01

hi all , me and my wife have been reading about this scam , using c/c we are from the states travelling to ireland in may (1st time )what i understand is that and tell me if i am wrong when i buy anything use my c/c and have the merchant charge me in euros not $$$ is this correct thank you

Budman

Yes. If they charge you in $$$, it is called Dynamic Currency Conversion and will add about 3% more to your bill. Do a search on this site to find out more.

ira

Budman is correct.

It will cost you more if you let them charge you in $.

Alec

DCC started in Ireland (and has now spread worldwide) but still is most frequently encountered there. You can assume almost all places related to tourism (car rental, hotels, tourist/specialist shops, non-neighbourhood restaurants etc) will use DCC, and the choice of currency, which should be offered to you before the transaction goes through, is usually not offered. The only places DCC isn't common are fuel stations and supermarkets. So it's in your interest when attempting to pay with plastic, to ask, as you hand over your card, that you want to be charged in euro. In some places your request is understood and you get billed in euro, but you'll find that in most cases you will be told it can't be done, or they don't know how to override it, or the gratuitous 'but it's for your benefit - you get billed in your familiar home currency' or words to the effect. So you need to be vigilant. Or just have enough euro cash to settle, if you're not in the mood for a prolonged discussion.

Robespierre

Solution: write <b>Local currency not offered</b> above your signature, and dispute the transaction when you get home. You will win.

retire01

thank you everyone, ---------
what happens if i book tours, my hotel etc via c/c from home is it still the same cause their figures are euros

Alec

When you book online, via fax or phone, you are at the mercy of the Irish business. Most likely you will be charged in dollars, with no option offered. If you can get your message across before the transaction goes through, you may have a chance but they can ignore it or claim they haven't received it. In short, there isn't much you can do about it, though when I booked an Aer Lingus flight online recently, I was offered a choice and I clicked the box for charges in euro.

kayd

When booking via fax or e-mail one can specify &quot;I authorize you to charge my credit card x Euro (not dollars) as deposit for . . .&quot; and of course keep a hard copy. Then if there's a problem, you have ammunition.