Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
To the best of my knowledge what will happen after the card is swiped is the terminal will ask the clerk if the customer in this case wishes to pay in JPY and lists the amount. The clerk is then given two buttom to press (yes customer accepts no customer declines). It doesn't automatically default to dcc.....it is the clerk who presses one button or the other to complete the transaction. Now many merchants tell their clerks not to ask; to simply press the button accepts and in 99% of the cases, the customers either don't notice they have been ripped off or actually think the merchant is performing a service for them.
Same as
DCC in Harrods. The store clerk is given a selection to choose. Unfortunately in my first purchase the store clerk went off and chose HKD without asking me and couldn't take it back (yes I caused a scene). In subsequent purchases we told the staff we want GBP, in advance, and repeatedly - DCC sucessfully avoided.
In many China/Macau/HK/Taiwan merchants however, there is no such choice:
-
St Regis Shenzhen
-
A Lorcha Restaurant Macau
-
Chiayi Maison De Chine, in House Taipei, W Taipei 2011
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
I ran into this situation a year and a half ago in Dublin. Only in retrospect did I realize what happened. I was in a Burger King in Dublin . The cashier swiped my card and a slip came out immediately. She didn't glance at it. I am sure this slip indcated the USD amount. Instead she completed the transaction. I noted it was a dcc slip and immediately told her I didn't give permission to convert the currency and that she should void it and re-do it properly in euro. She looked at me (I think she was Roumainian or something a common problem I have both in the UK and Ireland) and the manager, also not somebody completely conversant in English, came by and said that in Ireland the visa regulations don't apply regarding customer choice. I followed my usual procedure. I crossed out the USD amount, circled the euro amount and wrote choice not offered and initialed. She asked why I had done that. I said because I intend to have this charged back to you unless you do it properly. After making a face.....she finally consented to void the original transaction and do it properly in euro. The difference on a charge of 7 or 8 euro was about 36 cents US. Of course most people will say what's the big deal. To me, it's the principle of the matter.
And you did not get anyone actually swearing? Maybe in Irelland they still have the concept of customer service, unlike Starbucks in Manhattan.
I also got a similar case in Thailand
(La Gritta Restaurant Sukhumvit). Instead of scribbling I want to be charged in THB or circling the THB amount, I asked the slip be voided and I use Amex instead. The waitress threw a face but did reprocess my Visa in THB.
In China, circling the RMB amount (or similar actions such as crossing out the USD amount, adding non-acceptance language) will not help. You have to void it on the spot and pay by alternate means, or take photo of the merchant slip for dispute when you return home:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/china...onversion.html
Originally Posted by
mnredfox
How do I avoid/stop it?
First, refer to these instructions:
DCC Instructions (thanks to
jair101)
Then,
DO NOT CIRCLE THE RMB AMOUNT. In many other locations such as Europe and Hong Kong when offered a choice you can simply circle the currency of choice. This will not work and you will be charged in your home currency. Instead, ask the transaction to be cancelled and then processed according to the instructions below depending on the processing bank.
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
In addition, there is a new variation on this scam followed by many hotels, even of supposedly reputable chains such as Marriot. On the check in card, within all the fine print, there is something to the effect that you accept that you will be charged in your currency. On check out, when the receipt comes up with a dcc transaction and you complain, they pull out the check in slip and say you already agreed and it is too late to change it.
We
encountered this in Sheraton Futian too
+1 and I don't remember ticking an "accept" box as required by Visa International Operating Regulations
http://usa.visa.com/download/merchan...n.pdf#page=610 . But we did not take a copy of the check-in form, so it'll be a pain to dispute with our HK bank had we tried (HK banks require you submit everything upfront before they go off and file a dispute with Visa).
We only noticed cos +1 had a card promo that gives her 13X miles but must be charged to the card directly rather than posted from the deposit taken in check-in.
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
The same seems to be true with Avis.
Yep
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/avis/...gebacks-4.html