One more reason to avoid the tourist-y sections of cities when you travel?
Some ATMs are designed to bamboozle non-locals.
A new post on the YouTube channel Honest Guide (a Czech Republic-based travel vlog) points out that ATMs operated by Euronet can screw you for 15-35% extra for every withdrawal.
“[The machines] only cheat tourists,” says HG’s host Janek. “If you put in a local card of the country you’re in, it’ll act like any other ATM. But if you put in a foreign card, it’ll try to screw you over.”
These bankomats, which are spread throughout Europe, employ two dirty tricks: They’ll force you to withdraw “ridiculous” amounts of amount, up to 20,000 Czech Korunas (about $886), and then offer a really terrible rate when converting from dollars to the local currency (on top of a high transaction fee).
Janek’s suggestions? Use exchange places instead of ATMs, pay with your card at restaurants and stores, and when given the option, have your charges made in the local currency, not in your home country’s.
[H/t Digg]
Photo: Henryk Borawski/Wiki Commons
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