Originally Posted by Cooper Slay

Just want to make people aware of a DCC scam that Avis car rental has in France and probably other countries. Without informing the customer or getting customer agreement Avis does the foreign currency exchange instead of allowing your credit card company to do it, as is the usual practice, and CHARGES A HEFTY SURPRISE FEE FOR THE "SERVICE".

I recently rented a luxury car (BMW, automatic, diesel) for 16 days in Montpellier, France. The rental fee was substantial but I am happy to pay the agreed upon charge. I used my Capital One MasterCard specifically because Capital One has no foreign exchange fee for purchases. For ALL other purchases in foreign countries around the world, hotels, restaurants, merchandise, the credit card company always does the foreign currency exchange when preparing the monthly statement.
My transaction was in Euros, not in dollars. There was no mention that Avis would do the currency conversion ... for a large unannounced fee!

In this case, I found that my credit card had been charged an extra, unexplained 7%.

After many email exchanges, Avis "customer service" sent me a copy of section 28 of some Avis "rules", that I was never informed about (and are NOT part of the rental agreement). Section 28 contains this amazing, blatant provision. "Charges will be converted --by us unless you submit a written request in advance to have the currency conversion performed by your card issuer." Unless you submit a written request in advance to something you are totally unaware of!!
Further this section 28 says " Our conversion --- will incorporate a processing charge no higher than 3% ---"

Well, I guess I'm special; they charged me 7.03% instead of "no higher than 3%".

The point is this: Hotels and restaurants could adopt a "policy" undisclosed to customers that they will do the currency conversion and then surprise their customers with charges of ...(why stop at 7.03%? ) ... 15% or whatever.

Avis must not be allowed to continue to get away with this scam.