What's even more evil is when you're overseas, you agree on a transaction at a merchant where the prices are clearly posted in the local currency and you expect to be charged in the local currency (accepting your US card issuer's 0-3% foreign transaction ding), only to find that the merchant has attempted to gouge you by converting the local currency into USD at an outrageously bad rate. (And you know that on top of that gouge, your card issuer will still try to take its 0-3% foreign transaction ding even though they no longer bear any currency conversion work or risk.) Grrr!

And so as to keep vaguely on topic for this forum... no, earning more miles or points through said US card's reward program does not serve to salve the wound!