powerlifter

Just returned from Amman Jodan. Used my credit card all the time. They ask each time if I wanted JD or US. It was very nice to see that.

Majuki

What percentage of your credit card transactions had DCC in Jordan? It was not present 8 years ago. There was a post awhile back that the visa on arrival was forced DCC if one used a credit card. Other options were to exchange currency at poor rates or withdraw cash from the ATM with a surcharge. Among these options, I'd probably use the ATM since Fidelity reimburses ATM operator fees.

powerlifter

I had no DCC charges in Jordan. The visa on arrival was done in JD. My only FTC was from ATM which charged 3JD for each withdrawal.

Majuki

And you paid for the VOA with a card or in cash? Was there any proactive action you took like say, "Charge dinars, please."?

dmapr

I was in Jordan in May of last year and although I only used a card 3 or 4 times they asked me every time whether I wanted the charge in JD or USD (including the VOA). I entered from Eilat, not Amman though so it was at the Wadi Araba border crossing where you can only get the VOA if you're a part of a tourist group. If not you have to get a visa ahead of time — just an FYI.

Majuki

Thanks! I thought there was a report of forced DCC with the VOA at QAIA. I'd have to go back and search for the post.

powerlifter

At the airport, they didn't ask they charged me in JD.

Majuki

Mrs. Majuki and I just got back from the Maldives. I wasn't able to see any non-USD transactions with credit cards in the Maldives since all of the resorts price in USD. I attempted to use a credit card at the National Museum thinking they might price in MVR natively, but the cashier said there would be a surcharge. (I may have misunderstood the situation, but I ended up paying cash there.) Even with cash transactions denominated in Maldivian rufiyaa, the exchange rates seemed fair when paying USD. I had two such cash transactions. The first (at the National Museum) gave change in USD. The second (Burger King in Malé) gives change in MVR if paying a cash payment in USD.

Upon returning to the airport, Mrs. Majuki and I had dinner at Burger King again, but this time I paid using a card. Furthermore, while the location in Malé prices in MVR, the airport location prices in USD. A previous post by percysmith had reported DCC with Global Payments in the Maldives, so here is the result with a USD card:

oliver2002

Greetings from Egypt. DCC is everywhere but a stern 'charge me in Egyptian pounds please' makes them push the right buttons....

Saw this at one tourist trap:

Majuki

Unfortunately, DCC is not distinctive, nor do I have confidence they'll select the correct currency.

sethweinstein

I had forced DCC with the VOA at the airport just about a year ago (31 August 2017). The officer hid the terminal and selected the currency for me. I managed to snap a photo of the receipt showing that I had "chosen" USD, but I did not sign it and was not able to get my hands on it to deface it. I filed a chargeback with Chase and they credited me the entire amount.

Just got back from China, where the system of present-the-receipt-with-choice-and-then-ignore-that-choice is still prevalent -- at one bar I selected RMB and took a photo of the receipt while saying to the patron next to me, "I guarantee you they will charge me in dollars." It also happened at a fancy brunch buffet in Macau (the Banyan Tree) -- I selected MOP but the eventual charge corresponded to the DCC amount in USD.

Seth

Majuki

The consensus in Mainland China is if you see the "I have been offered a choice..." DCC verbiage, you've already been DCCed.

txflyer77

Here's a good one. Buying tickets for the Alhambra in Spain, I was offered the choice of EUR or USD. They straight-up claim that if I choose to pay in USD there's a 2% markup...



but it's actually 3.8% over Visa's rate today:

Sintaku

I feel like DCC has actually saved me money, I dispute every instance of DCC and either Chase covers the difference or disputes with the merchant. The one time they disputed with a merchant I ended up getting the full credit because they never re-charged the amount.

So far $40 up on DCC.

Majuki

I applaud you for contesting any DCC charges, but I'd prefer to handle a DCC issue at the time of the transaction rather than spending time calling or writing my card issuer. There was another poster, Happy, who didn't have a good experience with a Chase issued card when contesting a forced DCC transaction in the UAE. The acquirer or merchant responded to the chargeback, and it caused more headaches than the charge was worth. By the time I'm contacting the card issuer, it's on principle because the spread between the DCC amount as Visa amount wouldn't be worth my time in almost all cases.