You really have to call to find out if the fee is being imposed. I did not receive any notice on the two MBNA cards I mentioned above, but only found out about the new fee when I called and asked them.

By law, they have to tell you in writing, I believe. So I don't think you have to call them, but can wait to see what they send. In fact, I think it is the calling that is the problem as the MBNA service people don't all know what they are talking about, and make a lot of mistakes. I don't know if it's their fault or they haven't been trained correctly. So whatever they tell you, you have no idea if it is accurate. As I said, I got two completely different answers.

I think Clevelandbrown has described exactly the way I would interpret that statement from MBNA re AAA Visa (which is what I got). Nowhere does it say anything about 3% nor even 2% to be added to the VISA 1%. The 1% is the same old 1%, just itemized now instead of hidden in the exchange rate.

I don't think MBNA is ever going to list on their website which cards have the increase and which don't. Holy cow, customers with the increase would have a fit when they saw that. Even though MBNA is administering these cards, I think they are the issuer's product, to some extent. I'm sure the issurer and MBNA have some agreements regarding terms and payments, etc., though. My payment for my VISA bill is not to MBNA, it's to AAA.

I wonder if it has something to do with nonprofit entity cards, most seem to be in that category without the extra fee. But, I think AAA is a for-profit company, although they have some nonprofit foundation offshoots.

Has everyone who has an MBNA worldpoints gotten the new fee notice? I have the Worldpoints card, and I have yet to receive it. I will now become paranoid and call them about this. ;)

Seriously though, wish these credit card companies would stop this goobleygook. I've already booked everything on my MBNA card for July thinking that nothing would change re: fees. So much for that.

I have the worldpoints card and I got my notice several weeks ago. We are leaving for Germany later this month so I am now planning to use my credit union visa card.

Someone on the US forum referred me to this post...

I just found about all of this and it's quite a shock. My husband and I did a brief trip to Canada from the US and his CC added a 3% fee and mine did not. We got the same exchange rates. Mine happens to be an MBNA card, an affinity card they are closing and putting me into the Worldpoints program eventually (now the timing of that too is important!) I have not gotten any notice of this fee, and I spoke today to my card and they confirmed that I wasn't paying it currently. I was also told that it's a fee from MC and Visa so no bank is going to escape it.

Our next trip is a monthlong overseas trip so I'm very concerned about this.

I looked at the terms and conditions of the Worldpoints card online and could not find any mention of this fee, but now several of you say it's in effect for that card...

The confusion comes in because MBNA did not impose the fee across the board; some of its credit cards they put the near criminal 2% fee on; others they did not.

Personally, and I have no way of verifying this of course, I think they are putting their toe in the water to see just how cold the water is. If people accept the fee, that is they do not mass exodius from paying it by requesting cards without the fees or going to other credit card issuers who do not pull this near criminal activity, then they will impose the fee across the board. OTOH if they are convinced the lack of this fee is important to enough people, they might stop right there.

In any event, be aware this near criminal fee is imposed not for any service performed on their part, the actual conversion is done by MC or Visa who take the currency fluctuation risk, they have no risk whatsoever. When the charge reaches them, it has already been converted.

So it's just a near criminal way to screw their customers out of more of their hard earned bucks and people who get this notice should be smart enough to call them and tell them they will only use a card which does ot pull this near criminal activity.

<<I was also told that it's a fee from MC and Visa so no bank is going to escape it.>>

That was a lie, of course.