Patrick

This is getting so complicated. Bob_C, I THINK that is what I did. But because of that they sent me a new card, which is for ATM only. That's why now it won't work in some foreign ATM's, because it no longer is affiliated with Visa as a debt card. Does the card you have for your zero debit capability still have a VISA logo right on it?

ira

Hi don,

>I can use my combo CC/ATM card as a credit card or,<

This is not correct. You can use it in the same way you would use a CC but the money comes out of your bank account within milliseconds, while with a CC you have a few weeks before payment is due.

>I can use my card as an ATM for cash.

Yes

>I can either charge a purchase to my credit card ,or, as an option, use it as a debit card to take funds
directly from my checking account.<

A debit card is not a CC. Think of it as writing a check that is immediately cashed.

>If I charge the purchase to a CC I have 30 days or so before I have to pay ,and I have CC protection if I am improperly billed and don't want to pay.

Yes

John

So, am I right in asuming that I should get a atm/debit card WITH a visa logo and set my limit on debit and charge function to zero?
Then no problems in Europe and no problem with lost or stolen card?

Patrick

OK, I know this is becoming "the thread that wouldn't die" but a funny thing happened today. We stopped by our local Bank of America to use the ATM -- we use the Naples, Florida downtown office. As luck would have it, it wasn't working so we popped inside and presented the ATM card to the head teller who of course knows us. She took one look and said, "how strange, why isn't this a debit card?" "Oh, no, not you too?" I said and then told her about this entire thread and why we had changed from a debit to ATM only. She proceded to re-inform us how silly that was. "Believe me" she said. "I get most of the calls transferred to me from our customers traveling all over the world when they lose their card or have it stolen, and it happens a LOT. I don't know what other banks do, but we remove any charges immediately right back to the time the card was supposedly lost or stolen. I suppose our insurance pays it, I don't know, but our customers are not responsible for a single penny charged on their account."

And before you question this statement let me tell you I fielded a couple of the questions myself. I asked why people would call there and she said usually its because the customers call them directly since they are known at their local bank and feel they'll get better service -- and also because a lot of them don't know how to make the toll free or collect call because they don't have the number on the card -- since it's missing.

To make a long story a little shorter, we both changed our cards to ATM/debit cards today.

suze

Small tips~ ATM cards usually require funds drawn from a checking account (not savings) and a 4 digit numerical pin. As for the card no longer in your possession (!) write down the "call collect from outside the United States" number that is on the back of your card(s) or if it not printed call the local number and get it. Write it in your address book, separate from any financial stuff. ATM fees come from your home bank very seldom the foreign one; check with your bank before you go.

skatterfly

Yes, this is the thread that won't go away, but I think it's useful for people.

I was fully convinced (and even got my DH onboard) about getting an ATM only card. Then went to the Wells Fargo branch, and realized that with an ATM only card (with my particular banking setup and multiple accounts) it would have screwed up some access to my other accounts, and potentially would not have arrived before our trip departure. So we decided to stick with our debit card, which has been with us on trips to Europe before, though admittedly not since 2001.

The branch manager had recently returned from London and Amsterdam, and said he used his debit card everywhere... but he could understand my concern and gave a few guidelines:

--only use the debit card at legit banking ATM machines, not little free standing kiosks

--don't use the debit card (if you can avoid it) at merchants or restaurants, because someone could write down the number and then order merchandise with it over phone or internet

KS452 I think it was mentioned something about accessing your online banking... and I do have something to add about that. My husband works in the online world and I told him that I'd like to be able to monitor our account balances while travelling... and he warned: Be wary about checking your online banking account balances at internet cafes or public computer kiosks... the computers can have "trojan horse" software installed to track your keystrokes, and they could get access to your information even if you're using a SSL. So if we want to check our account balance we're going to use the call function... we just need to find out what our banks non-800 number is since the 800# only works domestically.

NEDSIRELAND

Using ATM's in Spain: BE CAREFUL! My wife's cousin (Madrilenha) was mugged after withdrawing money from an ATM in her own neighborhood. They didn't want her ATM card - just the money. Many Bank ATM's are in a small glassed room outside the Bank that unlocks when you slide your ATM card. Have everything secured before unlocking the door to leave! I suspect Paloma still had the cash in her hand when she unlocked the door of the secure area.

isplumm

Hi ...

I've been reading this thread with interest. As someone who lives in the UK, I thought I'd put my slant on things.

Most UK people have debit cards, where the money comes directly out of your current a/c (same as a checking a/c ?). This can be used as a VISA card in shops/resturants and cash machines (ATM) that are not owned by the bank you belong to.

We have a 4 digit pin number, that is used to get money out of an ATM. In the UK they are slowly introducing PIN & CHIP technology. This means that instead of signing for items when using VISA, you type your 4 digit pin number into a machine. This should reduce VISA fraud, which is high the UK. When this technology was introduced in France a few years back, VISA fraud dropped by 80%. How does this affect Americans coming to Europe ... well I've no idea !!

But I do have 1 tip ... if you use your debit or credit card in shops/resturants etc, don't let the card out of your sight !! To use the card on the internet, they need the 3 digit security code, which is on the back of the card.

Someone mentioned about not using stand alone ATMs. We have these in the UK, but they tend to be expensive. Found in shops & garages ... avoid them if possible ... but should be safe !!

Remember that most Brits don't write cheques, they use their debit cards !!! So if it is safe us, it should be safe for you ... as long as you take sensible precuations !!

Mark

PLMN

That cash abroad site is neat. Just a note, my CREDIT UNION visa does not charge cash advance fees either.

Budman

If your credit union visa doesn't charge a cash advance fee, it is because you are not getting a cash advance -- you're using your own money, debited from your checking/savings account, I would venture to say.

I only know of one place that you can get a cash advance for free, and that is on a cruise ship.

I was on the Galaxy in November, and the casino have me up to $1,500 cash as a shipboard credit on my shipboard account. I just approved my shipboard expenses (purchases, drinks, spa, casino credit, etc.) at the end of the cruise and it was billed to my Mastercard, which I paid when the bill came in, thus incurring no interest. Since my credit card cycled just prior to the beginning of the cruise, I had free use of that money for about 30-45 days.

PLMN

Budman,

Actually I used my Credit Union Visa NON check card ("credit Card&quotto take a cash advance for a trip my hubby and I took. THERE WAS NO CASH ADVANCE FEE.

The money did not come out of a checking account.

Credit Unions do not operate in the same way as banks.

So everyone, check with your own credit union.

Also, as I mentioned I think on another thread, I checked with my regular bank and because I have their platinum level Visa check card, I pay NO cenversion fees.

Now if someone could explain that to me in plain, simple, even a dummy can understand it manner that would be great.

Patrick

I won't argue your other points, PLMN, because I know nothing about credit union accounts.
But let me congratulate you. VISA charges every single person in the US, EXCEPT you, a 1% conversion charge. They don't show it, but every time you use any VISA or MASTER CARD in Europe, when they convert it to dollars, they add in 1%, and many credit cards add an additional 2%. It has nothing to do with your bank or what level of card you do, it's just the system that VISA uses. But I'll let you live in your dream world believing that you are the only one in the world that they waive that conversion fee for.

blh

As Patrick says, everyone pays the 1% conversion fee. This is charged by Visa or Mastercard and does not show as a separate charge. However, the extra 1-2% charge varies by bank and even within the same bank - BofA does not charge the extra 2% to Advantage customers (or other premium customers) while customers with "regular" checking accounts pay the extra 2%.

internetexplorer

PLMN,
I usually carry 3 Platinum VISA cards .
Each card was issued by a different US financial institution.
Two of the three Platinum VISA cards charge the extra 2% currency conversion fee; so if I use those two cards overseas I end up paying 3% each time I charge something.
The extra 2% is gravy (for having done absolutely nothing) for the issuer ,
My Capital One Platinum card incurs only the 1% conversion fee that is charged to every one who makes a purchase in non-US currency.
Guess which card gets to travel around with me in my wallet and guess which two cards wait back in the hotel safe as emergency back ups?

PLMN

Uh, Patrick...That sure sounds pretty snotty.

All I know is I was sitting right at the desk of the lady that was helping me in the bank when she had to get on the phone and call some other department to get the answers to my questions. I heard her ask the guy on the other end of the phone if I were going to have a conversion fee and watched her write NO conversion fee. When she got off the phone she said sine I was platinum I had no conversion fee on my check card account.

Now MAYBE she misunderstood the man on the phone, but I sure as he_ _ did not misunderstand what I was told. She may not have FULLY explained everything either.

So I guess I will just go to another branch and double check.

WillTravel

PLMN, it should be easy to figure out. Look at a charge on your statement and the day it was done. Go to www.oanda.com and look up the interbank rate for that day. Figure out if the 1% was charged.

ira

Hi PLMN,

Patrick is correct. The VISA/MC people add 1% to the bank rate.

Your bank is not adding an additional fee to that. Some banks add 1-3%.

American banks also, usually, charge you for using an "out of network" ATM. This can be as high as $5.00 per transaction.

Budman

PLMN, not to make a meal out of this, but the cash advance you took from your credit union VISA did have a 1% conversion fee. You probably didn't notice it because it wasn't a separate line item and was just rolled up in the conversion amount on your statement.

I also agree that there probably wasn't a "Cash Advance Fee" charged to you. That probably is correct, because none of my credit cards charge me a "Cash Advance Fee."

The only point I was trying to make was that when you get a "cash advance" with your credit card (not a debit card), you begin to incur "interest" the day the cash advance was taken.

Now, if your credit union does not charge you any interest on your "cash advance," I would like to join -- I love interest free money.

nonnafelice

RE: " if you use your debit or credit card in shops/resturants etc, don't let the card out of your sight !!"

Fortunately, this is usually a lot easier to do in Europe than in the US. I really like those little card swiping machines that they use in many European restaurants, where they bring the machine right to your table and complete the transaction there. Maybe there are US restaurants that use this technology, too, but I've never seen them. We seem to be a good bit behind Europe in this regard.

Patrick

Gee, I'm sorry my post sounded snotty. Sometimes the truth hurts. Would you have felt better if I said, " good for you, I'm glad you aren't charged anything for a conversion fee"? If so, then "good, I'm glad you aren't charged anything for a conversion fee."