Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
These are two great lies of the dcc scam.
1. The USD amount is shown only for guidance. (It can be any currency for which the card presented is tied in).
Yep. Heard it in many languages before.
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
2. We have no control over it; it;s done automatically. (No because of the visa/mc rules, the first thing the terminal asks the clerk is whether the transaction should be conducted in local currency or the currency of the card holder. The clerk has total control over it).
No. Visa allows connections of terminals that do not allow DCC to be avoided even if the cardholder can take physical control of the terminal and tweak it any what way. I actually had the cashier
show me how she processes payment step-by-step on a Bank of China terminal, and she pressed every button in the terminal I can think of (I can read Chinese). Moondog
physically handled his friendly merchant's Bank of Communications terminal.
I don't know whether Visa needs to pre-approve DCC hardware and/or software, but even if they did unscrupulous banks like Bank of China will simply perform unauthorised modifications like submitting a design with a Cancel button and then distributing a variant with the button completed covered by the terminal's outer case.
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
3. It is required by law of this country.
Belies legal tender doesn't it.
In some countries like Indonesia it is actually the reverse - they cannot bill anything but IDR on card terminals even if they listed prices in USD.
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
4. It's being done for your advantage to avoid fees of currency conversion (in most cases the fee is a foreign transaction fee and charged anyway).
Oh Harrods tried that. I
immediately retorted I know my GBP rate (HHK$12.81/£) and Harrod's rate (HK$12.91/£) is worse.
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
5. Sorry. Once the transaction is done, it can't be voided.
Somewhat true in some places.
My Harrods transaction really couldn't. All they can do after processing a DCC transaction is to refund the transaction in GBP and process it in GBP, which they did.
Yes I took it over the cashier's head. I got her reprimanded. But the Harrod concierge confirmed their POS can't do voids.
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
6. No speak ?English.
没问题，你跟我说普通话。我只是在香港工作，想用香港签发的维萨卡。
Originally Posted by
JEFFJAGUAR
As noted, the procedure is
1. Request the transaction be voided and re-done in local currency.
2 If the clerk refuses, ask to see the manager.
3. If you can't get the clerk to bring the manager or the manager repeats any of these lies, circle the amount in local currency and write choice not offered and initial it.
4. When you get home, dispute the charge. Your bank will have no choice but to charge it back to the merchant as the merchant will have to produce the original slip with your statement.
5. Under no circumstances, offer to pay cash. Using your credit card is the proper thing to do anyway.
Generally void and re-process (if DCC can be de-selected) or void and pay by Amex/Unionpay (if DCC is not optional but void is) the optimal way to go.
I'm just thinking about the cases where there is no void button (refund only), like Harrods above. Or
St Regis Shenzhen, where it took half an hour to find the admin passcode to authorise the void.
In those cases I think it will be best to tick and circle the local (RMB) amount, sign it, take a copy of it (iPhone) and then dispute it when it inevitably comes out in USD/HKD. Take
advantage of the fact Visa International Operating Regulations 15 April 2012 require a check box.