Several consumers in Portugal have been surprised by bank committees applied after raising money in ATMs. These charges are not clearly indicated at the time of operation and only appear later in the bank statement, which has raised questions about their origin.
The paper of the type of card
The collection of these commissions is related to the type of card used and not to the amount of the survey. Many of the reports received by Deco Proteste refer to the use of multiple functions, which may function as debit, credit or both.
These cards, known as dual cards, are especially likely to generate unexpected charges.
Surveys processed as credit
When a dual card is used in terminals that do not follow the traditional operation of the ATM, such as those of the Euronet network, the operation can be automatically processed as a credit card advance. This even happens that the holder intends only to conduct a simple survey.
In these situations, banks apply commissions defined in their prices, as they consider the operation as credit. These values can be significant.
Costs can exceed four euros
The amount charged varies depending on the bank, but there are cases where the commission sets around the four euros. In addition, a percentage can be applied on the raised amount, which can reach 4%, plus seal tax.
Although Euronet terminals have a notice on the screen to report that the bank may charge committees, the message is unclear or explained in concrete why the survey may have additional costs.
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Debit cards are exempt
Portuguese legislation prohibits the collection of commissions in surveys with exclusively debit cards carried out in the national territory, even when they are made outside of the ATM.
These cards directly move the account to order and the values are immediately debited.
Credit cards are based on a monthly limit and the amounts are charged on a later date. Dual cards combine these two modalities and can alternate between them according to the terminal used.
Confirming with the bank is essential
It recommends that consumers confirm with their banking entity if the card they use is only debit, only credit or both functions. This information is not always evident on the card itself.
It is also important to know in which networks the card can be used, as terminals like Euronetes operate with different rules of the ATM, approaching the operation of automatic boxes abroad.
More attention in surveys
Raising money remains a common operation for many Portuguese. However, the increasing presence of alternative networks requires more attention to avoid unexpected charges associated with something as simple as a survey.
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