Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
degree of fraud protection (because debit cards draw funds directly from your
account).
Ask Your Credit- or Debit-Card Company: Before your trip, contact the
company that issued your debit or credit cards.
• Confirm that your card will work overseas, and alert them that you'll be
using it in Europe; otherwise, they may deny transactions if they perceive un-
usual spending patterns.
• Ask for the specifics on transaction fees. When you use your credit
or debit card—either for purchases or ATM withdrawals—you'll often be
charged additional “international transaction” fees of up to 3 percent (1 per-
cent is normal) plus $5 per transaction. If your card's fees seem too high,
consider getting a different card just for your trip: Capital One
( www.capitalone.com ) and most credit unions have low-to-no international
fees.
•Ifyouplantowithdraw cashfromATMs,confirm yourdaily withdrawal
limit , and if necessary, ask your bank to adjust it. Some travelers prefer a high
limit that allows them totake outmore cash at each ATM stop (saving onbank
fees), while others prefer to set a lower limit in case their card is stolen. Note
that foreign banks also set maximum withdrawal amounts for their ATMs.
• Get your bank's emergency phone number in the US (but not its 800
number, which isn't accessible from overseas) to call collect if you have a
problem.
• Ask for your credit card's PIN in case you need to make an emergency
cash withdrawal or encounter Europe's “chip-and-PIN” system; the bank
won't tell you your PIN over the phone, so allow time for it to be mailed to
you.
Chip and PIN: If your card is declined for a purchase in Europe, it may
be because Europeans are increasingly using chip-and-PIN cards, which are
embedded with an electronic chip (rather than the magnetic stripe used on our
American-style cards). Much of Europe, including Scandinavia, is adopting
this system, and some merchants rely on it exclusively. You're most likely to
encounter chip-and-PIN problems at automated payment machines, such as
those at train and subway stations, toll roads, parking garages, luggage lock-
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