Buying in Mercadopago with Foreign Card

[Campeon]

I am trying to make a purchase from a local vendor through Mercadopago using a US credit card.

The specific issue is that Mercadopago needs to "verify" my card so they have charged me a small nominal amount under $5pesos. Then I am supposed call my CC company to find out the specific amount that they charged and input it on the Mercadopago website. Considering they don't tell you how much they charge is exactly, me getting the exact number from my bank in US is the supposed verification check that I am real card-holder.

The problem is, and this has pathetically taken me hours to conclude, is that Mercadopago obviously charged the amount in pesos, and my bank in the states tells me the amount in dollars. Unfortunately, my US bank can not see the original amount charged in pesos. Mercadopago is completely useless in terms of customer service, and unwilling to even spent a minute thinking logically about the obvious discrepancy as you probably imagine. So, the issue is that it is impossible to calculate to the centavo what the amount was that Mercadopago charged me in pesos based on what I see from my US bank in dollars.

Anyone have any experience or solution for dealing with monstrosity of a serve Mercadopago?

Thanks

 

[ActingBA]

I recently had to pay using mercadopago but my bank was able to see the original value in pesos as should any bank. you really need to press your bank as this means they cannot justify their amounts.

The problem with mercadopago though is that they will sometimes ask for additional security amounts depending the value of the transaction. In my case it was a merchant trying to avoid paying credit card charges for my transaction. Mercadopago asked me to supply 2 phone numbers and a time of day I wished to be contacted. When no phone call was forthcoming and the merchant unwilling to complete the transaction, I began to look for some sort of customer service number. I have so far been unsuccessful is finding any such number nor did I ever receive any personal emails.Eventually, without the call my payments went through which leaves me cautious about using them again. From what I can tell, they are operating out of Mexico!

 

[Campeon]

@Actingba

Thanks for the insight. I am contacting the US bank again to push further for the info. I have a strange feeling though, that by the time I get it, the Verification link from Mercadopago will have been expired...LOL

 

[el_expatriado]

I am trying to make a purchase from a local vendor through Mercadopago using a US credit card.

The specific issue is that Mercadopago needs to "verify" my card so they have charged me a small nominal amount under $5pesos. Then I am supposed call my CC company to find out the specific amount that they charged and input it on the Mercadopago website. Considering they don't tell you how much they charge is exactly, me getting the exact number from my bank in US is the supposed verification check that I am real card-holder.

The problem is, and this has pathetically taken me hours to conclude, is that Mercadopago obviously charged the amount in pesos, and my bank in the states tells me the amount in dollars. Unfortunately, my US bank can not see the original amount charged in pesos. Mercadopago is completely useless in terms of customer service, and unwilling to even spent a minute thinking logically about the obvious discrepancy as you probably imagine. So, the issue is that it is impossible to calculate to the centavo what the amount was that Mercadopago charged me in pesos based on what I see from my US bank in dollars.

Anyone have any experience or solution for dealing with monstrosity of a serve Mercadopago?

Thanks

Don't use a US credit card in Argentina. They will give you a bad exchange rate. Use the PagoFacil option with MercadoPago and pay in cash.

 

[ndcj]

Unfortunately, my US bank can not see the original amount charged in pesos.

Your bank definitely can see the original currency amount, you're just not speaking to the right person.

Which card issuer? You could try calling the number on the back of your card in the middle of the night, so you get the lost/stolen card people, who usually have better access to this kind of information.

 

[Campeon]

Apparently, my bank, Bank of America can only see the peso amount when the transaction is finalized or charged. The issue is that MercadoPago is only "authorizing" the amount, which Bank of America can only see the dollar amount, and not the peso amount.

So, I am trying to get MercadoPago to charge the verification amount so that my bank can tell me the exact peso amount before it is exchanged to dollars.

MercadoPago wants me to verify the amount that they only authorized before they charge me anything, but it is impossible (so far) to give them that information without them actually charging me instead of just authorizing it.

I realize this seems ridiculous, however this is the situation.