Using American Credit Cards In Argentina

[Rich One]

There is at least some truth in this. I have heard from a couple of people here - both of whom have stores and take credit cards - that if a local credit card holder contests the charges, they can fight it at least somehow. If a US card gets swiped and the charges are contested, the shop loses the money no questions asked. And I've also heard of higher charges for foreign cards.

Not sure if this is true of bigger institutions or just mom-and-pop shops, but definitely not all cards are equal.

Now thinking this again, all transactions with vendors in Argentina with a Mastercard are cleared thru Mastercard Argentina, same thing with Visa. Independently of the issuing bank...?

 

[srtamollygreen]

TEll them too bad that you have no cash. Then they may get it to work.

I tried that the other day (and it was true... out of nowhere se cayó un chaparrón and I really needed an umbrella but had spent all my pesos...)

Cashier told me she's sorry but there was nothing she could do. I had to brave the rain without an umbrella. So, while it may work in a restaurant where you've already eaten your food, it might not work when trying to buy goods...

 

[Ceviche]

I had to brave the rain without an umbrella.

I hope you arrived safely!?

 

[chris]

I stopped using US credit cards here awhile ago because I started to worry that the Macri government was monitoring spending (since you have to state DNI number on each purchase). Maybe that's paranoid. I don't know.

 

[Girino]

I stopped using US credit cards here awhile ago because I started to worry that the Macri government was monitoring spending (since you have to state DNI number on each purchase). Maybe that's paranoid. I don't know.

Then give your passport number!

 

[wineguy999]

I stopped using US credit cards here awhile ago because I started to worry that the Macri government was monitoring spending (since you have to state DNI number on each purchase). Maybe that's paranoid. I don't know.

Then give your passport number!

...or your driver's license number. I've never encountered a merchant who cared what the number was.

 

[glasgowjohn]

Or give any 8 figure number you can thnk off

 

[Girino]

Or give any 8 figure number you can thnk off

They are required to ask for your ID when you pay with credit card, so you can't just tell them the number, you need to actually show an ID.

 

[chris]

Then give your passport number!

That doesn't make much sense if an Argentine national or a US citizen with US cards doesn't want to call attention to any assets overseas.

 

[MorganF]

Does anyone know: when you give them your ID, do they record your DNI number anywhere? (Other than your own scribble when you sign - I usually just write a random number there.)