My 8 month fight over a $30 foreign transaction fee

I had a debit card from a small credit union in Texas and used it on a trip to Mexico last spring. The bank hit me with a $30 foreign transaction fee on a $200 purchase and I thought that was just how it worked. Then I called them and asked to waive it as a one time courtesy, and they did it in under 2 minutes. Now I'm wondering if these fees are just a bluff that banks put out there hoping you won't push back. Has anyone else gotten fees reversed just by picking up the phone?

3 comments

3 Comments

faith6841mo ago

My buddy had the same thing happen with his bank after a trip to Canada. He called them and they took the fee off right away, no questions asked. It really does seem like one of those things you just have to ask for.

lucashart1mo ago

Wonder if your buddy's bank being so quick to refund him actually works against people who don't call right away. I had a similar thing with a hotel that charged a hidden resort fee, called them, and they dropped it in two minutes. But my brother waited a week to complain about the same fee and got told "sorry, should have called sooner." Feels like banks and hotels use this easy refund thing as a way to catch people who are too busy or forgetful, pocketing the money from the ones who don't push back. The real trick might be knowing you have to call the second you see it, not waiting till you get home.

anna_ross191mo ago

Yeah, that part about "should have called sooner" really gets me. I had almost the exact same thing happen with a phone bill once. I noticed a weird charge like four days after it posted and they basically told me tough luck, I should have caught it sooner. But a friend of mine who called the same day got it fixed in five minutes flat. It does feel like they're banking on people being busy or not checking right away. Your mileage may vary but it sure seems like the system rewards people who catch things instantly and punishes anyone who takes a breath first.