If you click on the "International Banking" tab on this page, you'll see it says, "Use your ATM card or check card within our Global ATM Alliance in the countries shown with no fees" (emphasis added).

So while it's great you weren't charged for a Barclays withdrawal in Spain, there's no guarantee that you won't be charged next time.

Exactly -- just used the Capital One platinum in GCM with 0% foreign currency (or offshore US$) transaction fees. Also receive 1% cash back on all transactions, payable annually.

It's not the card I use when within the US, because often the hotel credit cards or airline credit cards are offering a superior deal. But when abroad, it's been a reliable card for over a decade now.

Going to China in 2 weeks.
I do have Schwab ATM card and also credit card.
What is the daily limit to do ATM withdraw using Schwab ATM card?
Also since right now Euro is cheap now, is there a good/cheap way I can get Euro cash?
Thanks

I have a Bank of America credit/debit card. They have associations with Scotia Bank, Paribas in France (spelling wrong I know) and Deutchebank
that no ATM fees are used. The exchange rate is that of the day . I have a son in Canada at college constantly needing money and with his issues and my travels this has worked out the best. Take out what you need for a day or 2 and use cash

How a "local" charge became a foreign 3% charge
I gave my New Mexico travel agent my Citi PP credit card number. She sent the number on to Regent Seven Seas cruise line in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. My credit card statement showed a $479.14 foreign transaction fee (3% of nearly 16K). Regent explained that they process CC transactions in Ireland. Because I complained they sent me their check for $479.14. But note: Their terms and conditions states: "Regent Seven Seas Cruises accepts no responsibility for credit card foreign currency/transaction processing fees independently assessed by issuing banks." I assume a lot of people lose a lot of money this way.

Any Ally Bank users have any insight on this question?

So are you saying that you can use any debit card for a counter cash advance inside a foreign bank and not pay an ATM fee(from your home bank) or forex fee? Including the Visa/MC 1% fee? Or the bank's add on 2% fee? That sounds great! I've always been able to use my BofA debit card in France with no fees except the 1% Visa/MC fee. However, we are going to other countries this trip that have no relationship with BofA. So I'm looking to find another bank or better way of getting cash since BofA ATM charge is $5 plus 3%.

Yes, that would be a welcome clarification....Source, please

Correct. I used a Barclays ATM in Russia with a BofA card, and was charged the normal foreign fees.

As for the counter cash advance, this may get around ATM owner or card issuer ATM fees. It generally won't get around currency conversion fees, though as those apply to all transactions, not just ATM transactions.

Although little known, it is possible to do a "cash advance" through a teller on a debit card. The main reason is that since it's a face-to-face transaction, it avoids the daily withdrawal limits (this is why you often see it offered in casinos).

This still won't get you off the hook in all cases -- Wells Fargo charges a $3 fee if you do this with a Wells card. Although the bank issuing the cash can't charge a fee, the card issuing bank can charge whatever it wants for the transaction, so be cautious.

I bet this has been stressed, but be wary of exchange rates being skewed in replacement of straight up percentage fees. On a recent work trip to Sydney, the hotel worker tried to run my Citi Corporate Master card as USD instead of in AUD. It actually came out as a higher amount in USD than AUD! I knew the exchange rate wasn't that bad so I made him go back and rerun it as AUD. He protested that I was getting a better rate than letting MC/Citi do the conversion.

Turns out when I did my expense report that the rates had a 7% delta, with the Citi/MC being much lower than the fee-less TELEX exchange. That can be a big chunk of change. I need to read more and this is probably dealt, but want people to watch out.

That's Dynamic Currency Conversion, a sore spot for many of us.

ETA: Even though there are other threads about this, I want to comment a bit more here. You're supposed to be able to choose your transaction currency whenever DCC is offered, but this doesn't always happen. Rather, the front line people at DCC establishments get so used to it that they don't have a clue how to process in local currency. Upon my return from my last international trip, I took up this issue with Schwab and both of the lawyers that lead the CCF class action law suit. The lawyers told me that, while DCC sucks, it's not as clear a case as CCF and the numbers are smaller. Meanwhile, the Schwab guys had no clue what I was talking about.

Moondog-

My approach is to never sign a credit charge slip that has anything but the foreign currency on it. If they print the slip with dollars (or both $$ and foreign), I make them re-run it right there (usually a huge effort required by them to do that).

It's never happened, but if I ever get a charge I signed in a foreign currency run through DCC as dollars, I plan to deny responsibility the the grounds that as I never authorized the charge. I have a Schwab card too-any idea on how the FIA folks might react in that case?

Well, on ~10 receipts, I wrote "DECLINE" (in block letters) in the signature field. FIA's stance was that since I consumed products/services in each case, I was still responsible for the charges. Again, I think I could push them a bit on this if I was willing to devote more time to the cause.

I think if I had 10 of those I would send letters within the 60 days denying responsibility for the DCC amount but accepting responsibility for the underlying charge in local currency.

Beyond strategy, what you're really saying is that FIA is not set-up to tackle this issue. That's too bad since I think bouncing the charges and costing the offending merchants and their cc clearing firms a lot of time and hassle might be the best way to beat this beast back.

Your encouragement has prompted me to call them again... and explain the entire concept of DCC to yet person in FIA billing disputes.

...anyway, I'm pleased to report that they did a bit more research for me this time, and there is a dispute avenue open to people in my shoes. So, I'm going to go ahead and send in my receipts.

In case anyone else ends up in the same boat, here's what the letter needs to communicate:

-currency choice was not offered
-list of transactions with reference numbers from statement
-amount billed in USD
-foreign currency amount
-USD equivalent of forex amount based on fx rate on transaction date (compute this by looking for non DCC transactions on same day)
-amount in dispute

And, here is FIA's address:

PO Box 16026
Wilmington, DE 19850

Phone: 800 558 4801