Originally Posted by
moondog
I've used my credit card at ~40 establishments in China during the past several weeks, and 3 have tried to pull DCC on me:
-Mint
-Muse
-JW Marriott
In all 3 cases, I've adopted the same strategy:
1) tell them to bill me in RMB
2) when they refuse, cross off the USD amount and write something like this: "I will decline this purchase unless billed in RMB"
3) only the JW noticed #2 and the GM stopped by my table to bring me a RMB slip and inform me that he would train his staff about DCC
Bottom line:
-while arguing over $5 in a place like Mint might embarrass some of you, it's my pleasure to help correct this problem
-if nobody steps up to the plate, this disease will become more widespread
-shame on Visa for allowing things to play out this way
^^^
I started this thread but missed all the fun till now. Most of the servers did not explain the options when they presented me with the DCC receipts. I just signed and did not pick either options. They will then default to DCC. Sometimes they will even try to trick me into consenting the DCC options.
At the Shangri-la, a place I trusted. I was told that I should pick the option to "lock in the exchange rate right away", which is technically true, except for the fact that RMB exchange rate fluctuation could never justify the 5% hidden surcharge above the interbank rate.
I now just use my UnionPay card everywhere. I will convert to RMB when I want to at a rate I want to.