Paying SA fees using credit card

[JimJ]

I've been paying the annual fees on my SA resorts for a number of years now using a credit card. I'm still wary of sending the cc # via an e-mail each year, even though I've never had any problem.

On several of my cc I now have the ability to generate a "new account number" for use with transactions such as this. I can specify the dollar limit and expiration date for the new number and that specific number can be used only by one vender.

I used that process this year for all my SA fees and it worked well. It lowered my "worry level" about sending cc #'s through e-mail. I have less worry that the card number can get compromised and later be used for fraudulent transactions.

If you do use cc to pay the SA fees you may want to alert your bank that a foreign transaction from SA will be coming through. I didn't do that and as a result the charge got rejected the first time the resort tried to process it. A call to the bank and an e-mail to the resort to reprocess the charge solved the problem, but if I had let the bank know ahead of time it would have prevented that initial rejection.rejection

 

[Dottie]

I tried that one year, but the SA asked for the 3 digit code on the temporary number and I did not have one. How to you do it?

Dottie

 

[JimJ]

I tried that one year, but the SA asked for the 3 digit code on the temporary number and I did not have one. How to you do it?

Dottie

When I generate the number on the computer, a 3 digit security code (which is normally shown on the back of your plastic credit card) is also generated at that time.

 

[JACKC]

Great idea. Until now, I have sent two emails, one containing the cc# and the other containint the 3 digit code. I like your idea better, except I think I might forget to alert my bank or to set a maximum for the transaction since I will be doing it only once a year.

Jack

 

[Karen G]

I submitted my credit card information on a Word document attachment, and haven't had any problems. I did notice that this year for the first time my Bank of America credit card charged a small fee for a "foreign transaction." It was just a few dollars, but I wasn't too happy about that.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Foreign Currency Exchange Fee.

Bank of America credit card charged a small fee for a "foreign transaction." It was just a few dollars, but I wasn't too happy about that.

Same here using American Express.

As I understand it, it's a foreign currency exchange fee -- not that much different from changing dollars to pounds at a UK bank, or changing pounds back into dollars at a USA bank, except for USA owners paying SA levies, it's a fee for converting dollars to rand.

The banks or credit card companies dealing in various international currencies are entitled to a little something for handling all those conversions back & forth.

In the case of USA credit card payments for SA timeshare levies, I'm sure the BofA & AmEx fees are cheaper & more convenient (not to mention quicker) than running around trying to find a place in person that issues foreign currency money orders over the counter.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

 

[JimJ]

I submitted my credit card information on a Word document attachment, and haven't had any problems. I did notice that this year for the first time my Bank of America credit card charged a small fee for a "foreign transaction." It was just a few dollars, but I wasn't too happy about that.

The last year or so, most credit cards for VISA or MC have a 3% fee for all foreign currency transactions paid for using a cc. A few (USAA, for example which deals with a lot of military) have either a 1% or zero fee.

Why do they charge the fee? Probably because they can. However, it is still easier to pay the fee than messing around getting bank checks made out in the needed foreign currency and then depending on mail service to get the check delivered. The last time I got a bank check for a foreign currency I'm sure they screwed me more than 3% on the exchange rate they offered.

Using e-mail and cc to pay my SA levies usually ends up with my week in the spacebank faster than I can get it done with my USA resorts.

 

[Dottie]

Thanks Jim. I will give it another look.

Dottie

 

[dvc95]

Fee

Visa and Mastercard have always charged you the foreign exchange fee but it was baked into the final figure. However, due to recent litigation, the banks now have to disclose it separately so that you can see what the fee was. I believe that Capital One is the only bank currently not passing that fee along to the consumer (according to Budget Travel).

Just FYI, in case anyone cared.