Avoiding Foreign Transaction Fees

[aholm]

Long story short, my American debit card and my Argentine debit card were stolen - by the time I figured it out, my entire month's salary was spent at Paseo Alcorta (no idea how they managed without an ID, at a reputable mall no less, but already talked to the bank and will likely be refunded).

Luckily, I had my US credit card stored at home for emergencies and am using that, as I'm completely cashless for the next week or so. But the transaction fees are killing me.

Anyone know a loophole to avoid that? Probably there is none, but doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[nikad]

Send some friend Paypal and get them to give you pesos at the blue rate here. Or go to Uruguay and get a cash advance with your credit card in the meantime.

 

[RichardP]

I got pickpocketed in Paris and Amex gave me a temporary credit card and offered to give me cash to hold me over until I got things together. My other credit cards wouldn't even send me new cards abroad. I had to have them sent to a family member in the US who later mailed them to me.
I didn't need the cash, but it convinced me to keep an Amex card.

 

[Macanudo]

How about RIA or Xoom? May take a while because of the holidays.

 

[Crema Americana]

Contact your credit card company and explain the situation. Maybe they can help you by waiving some of the fees.

Probably not going to result in anything, but worth asking.


This is a very old thread, but may have useful information.
http://baexpats.org/topic/1102-stop-paying-killer-atm-fees/

 

[estebandepraga]

sorry to hear this but I have no olution for you

 

[ben]

Get cash over here. I can advise you on a few places where you can get this done with PayPal for about 5% fee.

 

[Alicia karr]

I'm also concerned about how they were able to use your debit cards without a PIN number? Since these are both DEBIT cards, how could that be?...the only circumstances I've heard of where this occurs is when there's a device planted at the ATM machines (very often happens at airport ATMS in foreign countries but has happened here as well) that reads and copies your cards info and your PIN when you enter it. Is this what happened to you? And if so where? That would be helpful info for this community to have.
In my sons case, since he still had his CC he didn't know anything had happened until the bank called. Altho there were 1000s of dollars charged he was only responsible for the first $50. That's how it works with US credit cards. I suspect if you have filed a denuncia, you could request the bank to remove the transaction fees as well since it was not an authorized use of your card.
BTW another old scam would be when waiters would scan your card info and then use the info to buy stuff, but haven't heard much on that one lately. Good luck

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

I read that OP stated the debit card has been stolen from him. If and when that incident happened, perhaps he had written the PIN
on the back of the card ? If not, the robber has a very clever ways to retrieve those invisible PINs.!

 

[aholm]

The paypal suggestion is great, had no clue I could do that.

Nope, PIN was not written on the back of the card - and either way, they'd have to present an ID and sign. I'm just lost as to how they managed to use it, really unsettling...