Traveler has warned Aussies on holiday after he charged an eye-watering airport fee
Passengers shocked by $70 fee to use airport machine after ATM alert after cash withdrawal in Morocco
A young woman is shocked after being charged $70 to withdraw money from an airport ATM while on holiday in Morocco.
The American traveler, who currently lives in Sweden, explained that he had no idea how much the transaction would cost him until it was too late.
Posting her ATM receipt on Facebook, the young woman asked ‘WTF’ in the hope of avoiding future payouts.
‘It doesn’t make any sense. I took out 5000dr which is about $500 but was charged $548? Wtf happened? And how can I avoid it again?,’ she said.
He was charged a conversion mark-up of 4.5 percent, according to the receipt.
A world traveler is shocked after trying to get money in Morocco (stock image)
Other veterans among the passengers in the group were blown away by the charge.
‘I’ve only heard of charges like this at currency exchanges – it’s outrageous for just one withdrawal,’ one woman wrote.
Others were less shocked.
‘That’s why I don’t take money to the airport. High key they always charge an arm and a leg,’ added another.
‘It happened to me in Italy, ATMs can charge whatever they want. It’s completely crazy,’ complained one woman.
Some of the women commented on the post that most recommenders shy away from airport ATMs to share their tips with tourists.
‘They will always have a high exchange rate. There should be a ton of ATMs in the city at very low rates.’
Another traveler said ATMs have high conversion fees to catch tourists.
High ATM fees can happen anywhere – one person said it’s important to choose the currency from the country you’re in – ie the Euro in Europe.
Tips for taking money abroad:
Travelers share their tried and true tips for accessing cash abroad.
1 – Withdraw money in local currency – don’t click on the ‘Convert’ option or your home currency option
2 – Check if there is a per transaction or percentage based fee – if it is per transaction then as much as you can/want.
3 – Use Western Union services where possible
4 – Pay by card and online (for things like accommodation and tickets) to limit how much local cash you need
5 – Avoid ATMs with familiar names from your own country – use a local ATM
6 – Avoid ATMs at airports and international ports
‘Always choose to charge the currency you are withdrawing, not convert. For example in Europe choose the euro, not the US dollar,’ he said.
He also advises avoiding credit card withdrawals.
A third told him to be on the lookout for ATMs without fees.
The young woman admitted that she thought ‘all ATMs have the same fee.
He said he felt he was ‘trapped’ as he felt pressured to carry cash as cards were widely rejected by store holders in the country.