xyz123, I apologize, I didn't mean you were being pissy. When I was in Ireland a clerk offered this to a tourist and they got really pissed at the clerk for "scamming" them. My comment was just meant as a "remember to think about it from the viewpoint of the person actually behind the register and not as an intentional scam" sort of thing. The person you're dealing with is most likely not out to scam you and really may not know how to void a transaction. When I was a cashier in high school we couldn't on our machines, but ours were pretty funky. It's a convenience fee for a stupid convenience in my opinion more than an actual scam. Now, if they say they refuse to fix it then it could be a scam and not just unhelpful "help".

I don't know why it's more convenient to be listed in your home currency anyway so I definitely wouldn't want to pay anything extra for it. If you're going to travel to a foreign country you should have a rough idea about the exchange rate. You'll get the actual US amount when it comes through on your bill and you should be able to do a rough guess in your head. When I was in the UK and Ireland it was about $2 per pound (double everything, easy) and about $1.50'ish per Euro (add half, again easy to do in your head). If the difference between a rough guess and an exact amount is going to mean that you shouldn't purchase the item you either should get a calculator and the exact day's rate or you shouldn't be buying it anyway.

You might enjoy reading this sales blurb. It comes from Pay Square, a company which both issues credit cards and provides merchants with terminals and payment, throughout the Benelux.

http://www.paysquare.nl/en/Content.aspx?id=290

My Visa card was issued by another provider, but doubtless they say something similar.

"Anyway, if you've lived here for 2 years why don't you get a UK bank account and card, then this issue won't arise"

That isn't really the point is it.

hetismij, thanks for showing me this paysquare page - very interesting.

I'm in Chicago right now, and one of my co-workers was billed in Canadian dollars, so it is a spreading virus

I was just trying to pass on the experiences I have had with this currency switcheroo with the hope that others will be prepared when they suddenly find themselves in this situation. It's a bit discouraging to hear the negative and pious reactions to a simple warning. I was riled up and happened to use the wrong word, illegal. Can we all be a bit more genial please? That means you hsv and flanner.

Interesting thread. I've only once had a shop in Italy suggest charging me in Sterling rather than Euro and I think they were just being helpful. Good thing was they asked and were happy when I declined. Legality aside I would look to pay in local currency (when doing an electronic transaction) as the norm with alternatives only due to some pretty weird reason (collapsing currency/fraud)

I really don't understand all the fuss. I generally go to Britain yearly, spending only a couple of nights in London with the rest seeing the country. I pay with cash for the most part and with credit card for a couple of times in London.So what if I end up being charged an extra 3% for something? Not worth even being concerned. I am on holiday having fun not pinching pennies.

rogeruktm
That's what those companies and shops count on - customer indifference/apathy. If everyone took your attitude, this disease would continue to spread and cheat the travelling public of millions of dollars.
We need to call those scamming merchants to account. It may only be a couple of dollars per transacton, but it's the principle that is at stake here.