Following the submission of a super-complaint to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) regarding credit and debit card charges for overseas transactions, a brand new TripAdvisor® poll reveals that nearly half (48%) of British travellers have experienced unexpected card charges on transactions or withdrawals made abroad.
According to the poll of over 2,000 travellers, these unexpected card charges are a significant issue: 48%* of Brits say they’ve been hit with unexpected charges for their transactions and ATM withdrawals abroad.
“These poll results show unexpected card charges are indeed a significant issue for British travellers, with many people confused about when, if and how they’ll be charged for their card use abroad,” commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “As credit and debit cards have increased in popularity as the payment of choice on holiday, a whole new set of fees and charges have cropped up and travellers who have returned home to find their bank accounts lighter than expected will surely welcome further clarity from card providers.”
The super-complaint was brought to the OFT by Consumer Focus. The complaint centres on concerns that consumers are being unfairly charged for buying holiday money in the UK by banks and credit card providers, that charge structures are presented in a confusing way, and that common phrases used in the UK holiday money market are misleading.
*Poll carried out on 2,163 respondents from 23-28 September 2011
