Originally Posted by
metoo
No Paypal, just Western Union.
Just wondering....if i have zero balance on my credit card and it is treated as a cash advance, wouldn't I owe very little money if I pay it off within a day or two?
I would be sending $500 U.S.
Correct. You would pay the 3% Cash Advance fee and however interest on a few days you owe the money.
However, Cash Advance does NOT offer the protection you are hoping for by paying with a CC. A Cash Advance is considered as an unsecured loan to the card holder - the bank does not care what you use that loan for. It is NOT a purchase or a service you pay to the merchant or provider. If you dont get the service provided, you really cannot dispute the "charge". In this particular case, you give the money to Western Union which in turn gives the money to the tour operator as an intermediary. There is really no recourse should the tour provider does not come thru.
Therefore I do not see what is the point to use CC as it offers no benefit but incur additional expense.
PayPal on the other hand, does offer a thin layer of protection.