Visa Dynamic Currency Complaint - even possible?

[lifemagic]

I returned to BK a couple of days ago and thought I'd pay the bill on a card as they charge 2% and so it means I can avoid atms. I'm a regular, stay three or four times a year. While she was processing the payment, I remembered to say 'Thai Baht', and she said 'actually, we do both currencies'. Of course, the receipt showed my UK card had been billed in Dollars to baht (two converstions) plus their two percent, plus the card's 3%=13%. I complained and she said it's the default (I noticed there were two machines, a standard black/grey Bangkok bank, and an orange 'no name' one she'd used for me). She refunded me and said, 'pay cash then, easier for me', but insisted I sign the receipts to process the refunds, one of them said 'no refunds' and the other was a refund, and both confirmed I'd been offered a choice.

Yes, heard it all before. Luckily, thanks to this forum, I knew what to do and watch for. The thing is, these 'very strict rules' from Visa, they're not enforced at all, right? I can't just send an email to someone who would give a poo? I just suck it up.

It's the personal apsect though also. It's the place I go to all the time, she knows me, always gives me room I like when I go etc. It all means nothing when there's the chance to rip me off.

The visa Thailand website doesn't even have proper contact details.

[Pib]

Whatever store processed the transaction is the one you would need to complaint to. It's a store policy as to whether they default to DCC for a foreign card. Sounds like when the clerk said "we do both currencies" she was probably thinking that the DCC transaction will print out the charge in your card's home country currency and baht...this is the flashing lights, siren signal that it's a DCC transaction. A non-DCC transaction will just have the local currency on the receipt. Visa and Mastercard don't even recommend use of DCC...they recommend stores not to use it, but they don't forbid them...it's purely a store choice. And of course some stores like to use DCC because it earns then them 3 to 4% more in the lower exchange rate. DCC bad, very bad for the customer; DCC good, very good for the store.

Now the clerk could have cancelled the transaction...it only takes about a minute if the clerk knows what they are doing and the store allows it...some stores just seem to be pricks about wanting to charge the DCC. Since being in Thailand I've been hit with a DCC transaction about 4 times...each time I didn't sign the receipt and told the clerk to cancel it and rerun it in Thai baht only....they did....each time it only took about a minute to cancel the first transaction and then rerun it in Thai baht only. The DCC still hit my credit card account each time, but fell off in a few days. Funny how charges hit your account fast, but cancellations take longer to reverse/drop the charge. When the store cancels the DCC transaction be sure to keep the cancellation receipt just in case you may need it later on if the charge don't drop off in a few days...but for me the charge has always dropped off in a few days.

Edited May 16, 2014 by Pib

[Langsuan Man]

Tesco Lotus in Pattaya used to be notorious about doing the Dynamic Conversion so I make sure before I even hand the cashier the card that I look them in the eye and say slowly THAI BAHT

They must have gotten the word or the cashier supervisor got tired of having to come over and sign the "over ride" so now they never make that mistake

As PIB says, it only takes a minute to re-run the transaction and it is your money after all, so spend it wisely

[lifemagic]

OK, that's as I thought; complain to the store. As if the store will care. Yesterday, I asked to speak to the owner and they said they can't give out his details because it's their job to protect him, wouldn't even tell me his name. There is no way to complain, iow.