TRAVEL creditcards

INFO on CREDIT CARD use outside US

6/11/13

Provided by a paddler on info she received from friends returning from European competitions

• • Some having difficulties using their credit cards in Europe because many businesses over there accept only cards with chips in them. The US does not use chips; we use the stripe. This renders our "stripe" credit cards useless.

  • Some credit card companies issue cards with chips; some don't. I called my credit card banks - I have 2, and received 2 very different responses:

    • The first (L.L. Bean VISA thru Barclay Bank) said that they don't make cards with chips and in fact no one in the US makes cards with chips and that I should be just fine with my existing card. Also, they reminded me that there is a 3% fee on every purchase in foreign currency. Yikes!

    • The other bank, USAA Master Card, said they'd be happy to issue me a card with my existing card # that has both a chip and a stripe so I can use it anywhere in the world. Also, there is a 1% fee on foreign purchases. I mentioned the 3% from my other card's bank, and USAA said that 1% is what the credit card companies charge banks so that is what is passed on by USAA, and that if I'm being charged more than that, I'm being ripped off by the bank servicing the card.

  • You may want to call you credit card company and verify that your card has a chip and if not, to order one, and you may wish to check on the terms regarding foreign purchases.