I noticed on the Capitol one web site there are several types of credit cards. Which is the one that I should apply for? I currently use Bank of America.

Thanks,

Monica ((F))

SusanP,

You mentioned that with your TD Ameritrade card there were no fees. I know that TD Ameritrade themselves do not charge fees, but what about the banks whose ATM machines you were using? I was told by TD Ameritrade that I would still incur fees that way when using their ATM.

I will be in Shanghai and applied for a savings account with HSBC to use their ATM card, which I originally read was fee-free if using HSBC ATM machines. But now I have read some contradictory information on this subject, and have no idea what to think!

Monica, USAA only charges the 1% M/C conversion fee, but you get up to 1 and 1/4% cash back at the end of the year. ((b))

AlexO9, if you're talking about Europe -- NO banks there will charge you anything for withdrawing from their ATMs. The only charges you get will be imposed by your bank (or the 1% added by Visa Services for handing the transaction). Most banks will pass on that 1% -- a very few eat it.

Just got an AMEX Platinum card by signing up with Ameriprise Financial planners and having a certain balance being managed. Any comments on fees for using this card in Europe? Have a Delta Skymiles card too.

Clyde

NeoPatrick,

Thanks for the info regarding Europe. I will be staying in Shanghai, China though. Wonder if, like in Europe, the banks there will not charge me for using their ATMs?

Thanks Mike!

Monica ((F))

I just used my Capital One credit card in Holland...no user fee at all! Also used my ING ATM card at an ING ATM...no fee! Used my Bank of America card once...1% fee.

It's kind of a coincidence that this thread just happened to come back up today. Early on, I posted about the fact that we were pretty happy with the WAMU account my daughter had opened just before leaving for Ireland. Well, earlier today, I was not so happy!

Just as I was getting ready to leave for work, we got an automated call asking that our daughter call WAMU's fraud prevention dept. I immediately called and explained that I'm also on the account, she's overseas, there are notes on the account, yada, yada, yada. Well, this woman refused to hear any of it! Just kept giving me the same spiel over and over again about how my daughter had to call. Never asked for my name, wouldn't consider pulling up the account. She gave me what was supposed to be a number my daughter could call collect.

Fortunately, my daughter saw my e-mail right away (she's sometimes away from her computer for days at a time). She wasn't able to figure out how to call collect so she used her phone card to call them. In the middle of the call, her minutes ran out! So she wasn't sure they would reactivate her card. But she was on long enough to find out that the transaction that had set this off was exactly the same transaction (same amount, same place) she's made many, many times since she's been there. There was absolutely nothing suspicious about it.

My daughter wanted me to call them to make sure her card was working. And, believe me, I wanted to call! I'd been aggravated before. Now I was furious! Earlier I'd thought she might have used the card to purchase airline tickets and that was what had set off the fraud thing. But the same transaction she'd made many times before....?!

I managed to stay firm but very polite throughout the entire conversation. I asked to speak to a supervisor but was told I'd have to have her call me back. Well, I needed to be sure the hold had been removed from the card. So I explained the whole thing to the person who'd answered the call. At one point I told her that I understood that these things are entirely random and computerized. But that, if a human being had looked at the account, they'd have seen that this was not a suspicious transaction (and, of course, would have seen all the notes on the account about her being overseas, the dates, etc.). I explained that I was so aggravated because the woman this morning had refused to even consider looking at the account. And I told her that I understand that fraud is a huge problem and that I appreciate their vigilance but that common sense would have gone a long way in this particular case.

This second woman was very apologetic, said she understood my concerns with my daughter being so far away and depending on this card for cash, etc. She said the card is active and there should be no more problems. Her attitude definitely helped to alleviate some of the irritation.

I've decided the problem was not so much WAMU as a lazy employee. And, of course, you find those everywhere. But it's very aggravating that she could so easily spout the company policy and use it to avoid making any effort to help.

I don't think CapitalOne is the best card.

I used CapitalOne No Hassle Rewards Master Card to puchase airline tickets from RyanAir.com on April 5. The euro amounts is 81.48 euros but my statement showed $114.23. A conversion rate of 1 USD = 0.71329 EUR. At that date, the interbank exchange rate was 0.7492 EUR/USD (http://www.oanda.com/convert/fxhistory). 0.71329 / 0.7492 = 95.5%. I.e., CapitalOne estentially changed me 4.5% fees.

This is the same for another purchase on April 7.

I should have said I also used the card to book hotel at Novotel. The conversion rate is >98% of the official rate. I really want to find out why this is the case. I called CapitalOne and they comfirmed in all cases, i was charged euros and they were converted by MC.

hmm. I used my new Cap One M/C this April. My statement shows the rate used in the conversion on many of the records, and it is very close to www.x-rate.com for that day.(ex. 0.741002117 vs. 0.74162)

Pulled some receipts and checked the calculation myself for a few days and still comes out as disclosed.

I wonder if Ryanair pulled the DCC on you.

we crossed... I used my card in Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris.

Hi Travelnut,

Does CapitalOne always put conversion rates on foreign charges?

My RyanAir changes do not list conversion rate but the Novotel does.

I tend to agree with you that RyanAir charged me additional 3%. But CapitalOne said the charges were in Euro not USD (i.e, should no DCC). RyanAir already charges 2.5 euros each ticket for credit card transaction and it will be very greedy for them to tack another 3%.

I just did a rough check of my Cap One charges...close enough to the conversion rate not to sweat about it...maybe exact.

Thanks for confirming C1 is a good card. I will file a dispute on my RyanAir charges and to see what they have to say. (Not really care about the $15 loss but want to find out what happened.)

hx88,

If you look carefully on the Ryanair site, you will discover that the airline bills you in the currency of your country of residence, which means that you are stuck with their Dynamic Conversion rates. It has nothing to do with the card.

Michael, do you have a link? The final receipt I had was in Euros and C1 also said it's Euro (but i double they know too much about it).

I swear I will never take Ryanair again, secondary airport, confusing website and bad services.

Maybe Ryanair's policy has changed. All I know is that when I finalized the ticket purchase last year, I was subject to Dynamic Conversion and paid more, even though the cost was given in British pounds. I knew that because my credit card did not charge me the normal 1% conversion fee. The ticket was still cheap.

I should have said that the lack of conversion fee confirmed what I knew when I finalized the purchase.