Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)
May 28, 2019, 11:02 am
#631
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PMD
Programs: UA*G, NW, AA-G. WR-P, HH-G, IHG-S, ALL. TT-GE.
Posts: 2,910
I've been seeing this more and more and am tired of signing credit card receipts "Declined" and then protesting to bank/credit card company to get what is admittedly not very many dollars back. Had it happen at an ATM in Sicily two weeks ago (EURONET ATM). I'm sure I declined it as I've done many times, but I knew something was wrong when it didn't print a receipt when I asked it to. I then logged into my bank account within an hour, saw an outrageous charge in USD, and immediately sent email to EURONET asking them to reverse and then charge in Euro's. They refused and insisted that I agreed to what they called a convenient and competitive rate. I asked appeals process and they told me to go to my bank which I will do when they open tomorrow.
May 28, 2019, 3:55 pm
#632
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SJC
Programs: AA, AS, Marriott
Posts: 6,060
I was given two receipts, one with the standard item list / total / tip / total w/tip / thing and then the terminal print out receipt at the end. I did not get to sign that one - the one which says I agreed to it did not have any signature line. I only signed the standard one in CAD.
I did not protest it because I did not see it at first, which is my mistake. Especially being on here, I should have been very vigilant. To my defense, this was at the end of a 4 day trip to Canada and I had not experienced anything like this at all on the trip and I've dined in a number of places with a similar set up, so my vigilance was soft.
I did not protest it because I did not see it at first, which is my mistake. Especially being on here, I should have been very vigilant. To my defense, this was at the end of a 4 day trip to Canada and I had not experienced anything like this at all on the trip and I've dined in a number of places with a similar set up, so my vigilance was soft.
I don't follow this thread so closely these days because I have become used to paying an extra 2 bucks. As much as I dislike the concept of DCC, it's simply not worth causing a scene over it on a $50 dinner (e.g. I'm now blacklisted from a handful of restaurants) or hounding my cc company after the fact.
On a more positive note, DCC is less and less of an issue in Shanghai.
On a more positive note, DCC is less and less of an issue in Shanghai.
Didn't we all have a similar conversation a few years back about overseas merchants refusing our mag stripe only cards? "The merchant is required to accept all cards." I can see a similar line of, "When presented with the option, select local currency."
May 29, 2019, 8:54 am
#633
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,056
Even at major chain stores, all the POS does is pass the amount to the terminal--there's very little integration.
May 29, 2019, 4:03 pm
#634
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,507
That's how terminals over here are configured--after inserting the card, the screen will say "Total 123.45 EUR / Enter PIN + OK" for PIN cards. I can't recall ever seeing a terminal in Europe that didn't have some variation of that prompt; for C&S cards it's "Total 123.45 EUR / OK?" so a clerk could OK it for you, which the PIN prevents. Even at kiosks where you've completed your order on the main screen and have the total right in front of you, the card reader screen will still display the amount with the PIN prompt.
Even at major chain stores, all the POS does is pass the amount to the terminal--there's very little integration.
Even at major chain stores, all the POS does is pass the amount to the terminal--there's very little integration.
As for DCC, considering how uncommon PIN preference is for US cards, I'm not sure that can really be considered a viable option. The good news is that contactless, more often than not, probably is--at least in Europe. Hopefully the latter continues to be a reliable method of DCC avoidance. ^
May 29, 2019, 9:39 pm
#635
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,800
The terminal's user input was malfuncitioning, so it took a while for the prompt to time out and for the transaction to default in Euros.
No DCC option at dinner.
May 30, 2019, 3:03 pm
#636
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: United Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 284
Got DCCed at Hertz in Ireland. Didn't see it on the receipt the guy at returns gave me until I got home. A little over a 5% markup.
Sent a letter to Hertz Ireland and corporate in the US giving them an opportunity to correct before I file a chargeback.
Sent a letter to Hertz Ireland and corporate in the US giving them an opportunity to correct before I file a chargeback.
May 30, 2019, 8:51 pm
#637
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,033
The "I have been offered a choice" verbiage continues to infuriate me in cases where this is clearly not true.
May 30, 2019, 9:23 pm
#638
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,800
Hmmm...is this the type where they card-not-present charge you in the back end? No payment in card terminal?
May 31, 2019, 1:15 am
#639
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: United Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 284
Yeah, I gave them the card when I rented the car, and when I dropped it off the guy just printed a receipt out of his hand held gizmo and suggested I run towards the shuttle that was about to leave (after verbally saying “yeah there aren’t any extra charges.”)
May 31, 2019, 2:59 am
#640
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,800
Wonder how that's been complied with in Hertz's proceses. Probably your path to charge back.
May 31, 2019, 3:06 am
#641
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL, BA LTG/GFL, Honors Diamond, Accor Platinum, Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 718
If Hertz is like Avis (no idea, I don’t use hertz) there is a check box in the online “Avis Preferred” profile which must be unselected otherwise it charges in the home currency of the card used.
Also some franchise locations have a hidden DCC consent in the mountain of paperwork you initial “here, here, here, here and here” or it’s hidden in the full Ts & Cs that you have to click through to review if they have one of the newer e-signature / squiggle terminals where there is no paper but for a short rental confirmation.
Also some franchise locations have a hidden DCC consent in the mountain of paperwork you initial “here, here, here, here and here” or it’s hidden in the full Ts & Cs that you have to click through to review if they have one of the newer e-signature / squiggle terminals where there is no paper but for a short rental confirmation.
May 31, 2019, 11:23 pm
#643
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: United Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 284
Update on my Hertz DCC in Ireland in post 636. 2 days later I've received a response in my email:
"Thank you for contacting Hertz.
I have requested that the end of rental charges be reversed and billed in Euro as requested. This process may take up to 10 working days to be visible on your account."
Easier than I thought! I don't know if being a President's Circle member helped or not, but at least they're doing the right thing.
"Thank you for contacting Hertz.
I have requested that the end of rental charges be reversed and billed in Euro as requested. This process may take up to 10 working days to be visible on your account."
Easier than I thought! I don't know if being a President's Circle member helped or not, but at least they're doing the right thing.
May 31, 2019, 11:28 pm
#644
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: United Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 284
I do remember that in my Avis account - I've just gone through and checked my Hertz profile and there isn't a spot to check for local / card currency billing.
I did scan somewhat thoroughly (I don't even know what "somewhat thoroughly" means to be honest) the screens that I was initialing, but I was specifically looking for currency choice actually. I was a bit peeved that, although my CSR actually DID cover the CDW in Ireland (few cards do), they forced me to accept their €7/day supplemental insurance charge for declining CDW. (My choice was to accept the charge, pay the CDW, or not get the car.) I expressed my displeasure in the email about this as well, but that wasn't addressed. My annoyance at that could have caused me to miss the DCC in the screens to initial to be honest, even though I was looking for it.
I did scan somewhat thoroughly (I don't even know what "somewhat thoroughly" means to be honest) the screens that I was initialing, but I was specifically looking for currency choice actually. I was a bit peeved that, although my CSR actually DID cover the CDW in Ireland (few cards do), they forced me to accept their €7/day supplemental insurance charge for declining CDW. (My choice was to accept the charge, pay the CDW, or not get the car.) I expressed my displeasure in the email about this as well, but that wasn't addressed. My annoyance at that could have caused me to miss the DCC in the screens to initial to be honest, even though I was looking for it.
Jun 1, 2019, 10:26 am
#645
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,631
I was a bit peeved that, although my CSR actually DID cover the CDW in Ireland (few cards do), they forced me to accept their €7/day supplemental insurance charge for declining CDW. (My choice was to accept the charge, pay the CDW, or not get the car.) I expressed my displeasure in the email about this as well, but that wasn't addressed.