Smart People
I went to Citibank today to see if they could help me out in deciding how to store money for this trip. I have a Capital One credit card (doesn't charge the 3% international transaction that all the others do), but I need a card to access cash. Cash advances on credit cards seem like a terrible way to do things.
So I sat in a fancy office and talked with some lady. My sister had suggested getting an ATM card that was only an ATM card, with no Mastercard or Visa logo on it so that if it was stolen it couldn't be used to make purchases. The lady said ATMs in Asia wouldn't take an ATM card if it didn't have a Mastercard/Visa logo. I have my doubts about that because the first ATM card I had didn't have a Mastercard or Visa logo on the front, but it still had the Cirrus, Maestro (Mastercard's ATM group) and Plus (Visa's ATM group) logos on the back and never had any trouble in Europe. But ok, she works at Citibank, I don't. If either one of us if going to know, it would be her, not me. Moving on...
So then we start talking about the American Express Travelers Cheque Card, which is like a prepaid ATM/Credit card that's safer because it's not linked to an account. I had researched them online, so I knew a lot more about them than she did. Which is what I figured would be the case until she told me that they actually sell them at Citibank. So I told her, "Yeah, it seems good, but there a lot of fees." Her reply was, "Really? Like what kinds?" Well, it's $14.95 to purchase the card and then if I want to make an ATM withdrawal I would be charged a $2.50 ATM usage fee plus a 2% international transaction fee. And then add to that whatever fee the ATM's bank wants to charge. I had brought it up to see if Citibank offered a Visa or Mastercard version that would maybe have less fees and be more widely accepted. I mean, according to Visa, they're everywhere I want to be, and American Express never seemed to claim that to me, so I just didn't know. The answer was from her was no, there's no Visa or Mastercard version. Only American Express.
So I asked her, "Do you know if ATMs in Asia take American Express cards?" Her response...
"Oh, I don't have any idea. I've never been to Asia."
Fair enough, I would say most Americans haven't, but you do work at one of the largest worldwide banks, right? This can't really be the first time someone's asked an international question.
I guess I had been expecting a, "I can check," or, "Let me look into that for you," or something to that effect.
But nope, she's never been to Asia, so she doesn't know.
Ok.
She then went on to print out the address of the Citibank location in Thailand. She told me that the card would definitely work there. I took the sheet, said thank you and went home, where I found out (from the AE TCC website) there are about 150 ATMs in Thailand that will take the card.
I think I should work at a bank.
I'll end with my favorite passage from the American Express Travelers Cheque Card terms and conditions:
"USAGE LIMITATIONS
Since Travelers Cheque Cards are prepaid cards, they are not intended for use in certain industries. You are NOT permitted to use the Travelers Cheque Card:
We reserve the right to add merchant or purchase categories to this prohibited transaction list at any time in the future with or without cause, and without giving you notice."
I would love to have been at that table when they decided what "purchase categories" were going to be prohibited. Did the guy who suggested massage parlors feel a little bit awkward? Think it was the same guy who suggested paying for bail should also be prohibited?
Oh yeah, and I leave 2 weeks from today!!!!!!!!
So I sat in a fancy office and talked with some lady. My sister had suggested getting an ATM card that was only an ATM card, with no Mastercard or Visa logo on it so that if it was stolen it couldn't be used to make purchases. The lady said ATMs in Asia wouldn't take an ATM card if it didn't have a Mastercard/Visa logo. I have my doubts about that because the first ATM card I had didn't have a Mastercard or Visa logo on the front, but it still had the Cirrus, Maestro (Mastercard's ATM group) and Plus (Visa's ATM group) logos on the back and never had any trouble in Europe. But ok, she works at Citibank, I don't. If either one of us if going to know, it would be her, not me. Moving on...
So then we start talking about the American Express Travelers Cheque Card, which is like a prepaid ATM/Credit card that's safer because it's not linked to an account. I had researched them online, so I knew a lot more about them than she did. Which is what I figured would be the case until she told me that they actually sell them at Citibank. So I told her, "Yeah, it seems good, but there a lot of fees." Her reply was, "Really? Like what kinds?" Well, it's $14.95 to purchase the card and then if I want to make an ATM withdrawal I would be charged a $2.50 ATM usage fee plus a 2% international transaction fee. And then add to that whatever fee the ATM's bank wants to charge. I had brought it up to see if Citibank offered a Visa or Mastercard version that would maybe have less fees and be more widely accepted. I mean, according to Visa, they're everywhere I want to be, and American Express never seemed to claim that to me, so I just didn't know. The answer was from her was no, there's no Visa or Mastercard version. Only American Express.
So I asked her, "Do you know if ATMs in Asia take American Express cards?" Her response...
"Oh, I don't have any idea. I've never been to Asia."
Fair enough, I would say most Americans haven't, but you do work at one of the largest worldwide banks, right? This can't really be the first time someone's asked an international question.
I guess I had been expecting a, "I can check," or, "Let me look into that for you," or something to that effect.
But nope, she's never been to Asia, so she doesn't know.
Ok.
She then went on to print out the address of the Citibank location in Thailand. She told me that the card would definitely work there. I took the sheet, said thank you and went home, where I found out (from the AE TCC website) there are about 150 ATMs in Thailand that will take the card.
I think I should work at a bank.
I'll end with my favorite passage from the American Express Travelers Cheque Card terms and conditions:
"USAGE LIMITATIONS
Since Travelers Cheque Cards are prepaid cards, they are not intended for use in certain industries. You are NOT permitted to use the Travelers Cheque Card:
- To pay for "person-to-person" internet payment products such as "Paypal" or "YahooDirect."
- To pay for telecom charges (including cellular, airplane telephones, payphones, home phone service, etc.)
- To pay for recurring billing charges, such as health club memberships or subscriptions....
- To pay for bail bondsmen.
- To pay for detective agencies.
- To pay for home repair services such as plumber, electrician, or painter/decorator.
- To pay for internet electronic services including electronic mail, internet service provider, internet telecom, etc.
- To pay for personal services such as escort agencies, introduction services, or massage parlors.
- To pay for wholesale goods.
- To pay for on-board cruise charges.
- To pay for gambling.
We reserve the right to add merchant or purchase categories to this prohibited transaction list at any time in the future with or without cause, and without giving you notice."
I would love to have been at that table when they decided what "purchase categories" were going to be prohibited. Did the guy who suggested massage parlors feel a little bit awkward? Think it was the same guy who suggested paying for bail should also be prohibited?
Oh yeah, and I leave 2 weeks from today!!!!!!!!
posted by beth at 12:14 PM
3 Comments:
did you notice that buying drugs is NOT prohibited? you can't get a massage, but you can get a line of coke.
fantastic.
-stacey.
hey beth!
you wanna travel somewhere btween japan and thailand!?!?
mongolia... it calls for me...
or pakistan?! you wanna do some earthquake relief?
I am only taking 11 credits this semester so I have all the time in the world.... LITERALLY
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