Foreign credit cards purchases at MEP rate

carride said:
@zeno This is also still my experience using the Mastercard currency converter.

* The MC tool does not work anymore. Does not matter if try Ars to usd or usd to ars.
1 Argentine Peso = 0.0051779 United States Dollar
Your transaction amount of 335.00 ARS = 1.73 USDin your card currency

* Using Visa website for their card does work.

335 ARS = 1.008159 USD​

1 ARS = 0.003009 USD
1 USD = 332.289004 ARS
Click to expand...
The MC converter does not show a favorable rate on the official website. However MC cards will get the MEP rate. We tested this multiple times using small amounts and I suggest you do the same in case you want proof for yourself. Wait 3-4 days after the charge and you'll see a refund that will match MEP
 
I just bought something for $29,000 at the toy store on a Mastercard. Charged me $150 ish so exchange rate of 190
 
lunar said:
It looks like MC issues a correction later to bring the rate to MEP.
Click to expand...
Yes, it's something like that. I got tickets online for Buquebus with an MC debit card two weeks ago.

Peso price: 45222
MC charged: USD 255 which would imply an exchange rate of 177 Pesos per Dollar
About a week later, part of the charge was reverted, I got USD 108 back, which meant I really paid USD 147, and the real exchange rate was 308 Pesos per Dollar, which was at least closer to the MEP rate (356 Pesos per Dollar today?). I say about a week later, because I didn't see any activity on my card in that time, but the actual "value date" for the reversion in my card statement is 2 days after the original charge.
 
As of this minute, the VISA app for figuring exchange rates works fine: https://www.visa.co.uk/support/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html. The rate quoted is 326 pesos to the dollar. At my bank, USAA, any change posts to my account at the much lower, of course, official exchange rate. It lists the charge as 'pending' and two to three days later the 'pending' charge is replaced by the same amount at the high exchange rate (326/1). So yeah, it works fine. USAA also says that in using a cash machine in country, it will credit back the amount charged by the local bank for the use of the machine, but will charge a 3% transaction fee.
 
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