Euro information please...

[caribill]

As others have posted, using a credit card with a no or low foreign exchange fee is a good way to make charges overseas.....if the charge is made in the local currancy.

 

Be careful. Some places (I have seen it in both shops and restaurants) do you the "favor" of converting it to dollars using a poor exchange rate.

 

Before you sign the charge slip, make sure they have not done you this favor. If they have, insist that they redo it using only the local currancy.

[jamesboat]

Note for ATM usage: Find out who your bank has partnered with!

 

For example, if you have BOA, using BNP paribas in France will get you the best rate (no atm fees!)

[caber]

I was pretty sure this was what Caber was speaking of after seeing it in action last year. I think it is a safer way to conduct credit card transactions -- if your card is stolen they would need the pin to conduct a purchase.

 

Caber - if you see this, can you make purchases on line without the pin? It would seem that would be the next avenue for a credit card thief.

If we use the card online they ask for the expiry date and also the last three security numbers on the back of the card.

 

There are times when the chip and pin system deosn`t work and you are asked to sign. I would think that they would accept a signature in shops from non UK people who didn`t have a four digit number.

[sidari]

Safety Advice for Everyone!!!

 

when using the ATM machines in Europe and that includes the UK be sure to check the part of the machine that your card goes into ! have a look to see if there appears to be what looks like a cover over it with a slot that looks just like it is part of the ATM machine....the reason being is that Thieves around the World some time ago devised a "skimmer" which stores your details when you use the machine which they can later use to obtain goods or cash via your card.

 

If you are not happy with the look of an ATM do not use it, but do check that the slot your card goes into does not stick out proud of the face of the ATM ....even go to the length of pulling it with your hand if need be to see if it moves.

 

99% of ATM`s around the World are safe to use but just be aware of the above.

 

Dave.

[skippyy]

Check out some of the online exchange companies also as some give better rates of exchange and deliver to your door!

 

Skippyy..... "there are pickpockets in high traffic public areas in Europe" ....as i believe you will find in many other parts of the world! you make it sound as though it is just a Europe problem...?

The OP wasn't going to other parts of the world,..guess I could

have listed more but I live in a small town where everyone is poor,

hence no pick-pockets:eek:

[BarbinMich]

I have three questions regarding Euros.

 

Are you sure euros are used in each country you'll be visiting? For example, the Scandanavian countires like Norway and Denmark have their own currency, as does the UK.

[peterv]

If we use the card online they ask for the expiry date and also the last three security numbers on the back of the card.

 

There are times when the chip and pin system deosn`t work and you are asked to sign. I would think that they would accept a signature in shops from non UK people who didn`t have a four digit number.

 

That is only because we have chips in our credit cards over here. In the US they do not have the chip and pin system, they just run the card as they used to do here before chip and pin.

 

If you are using a card without the chip, merchants will just swipe the card in the reader and you sign the slip.

 

Cheers,

Peter