What happens if I use my visa debit card to purchase in US dollars from a US store? Will it work? What happens with the exchange rate? Is there a charge?

I’ve bought stuff with my Visa Debit card, it works just like any other card. I don’t understand what you mean about the exchange rate, you pay, in dollars, and the amount you pay in pounds is whatever the exchange rate happens to be at the time of the transaction, same as with Paypal. Don’t know about charges, sorry.

Do not use your debit card for anything online – you have no protection for fraud.

My visa credit has been defrauded 4 times now, as it was a credit card I was refunded fine, but wouldn’t have been if it had been the debit card.

You have the same anti-fraud protection as with a credit card – they come from your bank, nothing to do with the card type.

The main difference is if the purchase is over £100 and the supplier goes bust before you get the product, you can claim against the credit card company for the loss, you can’t do this with a debit card.

as turnerguy said dont use your debit card to purchase this use your credit card, you have so much more protection, i bought 2 ipads online using my debit card in november and i’m still trying to get the cash back now after they didnt send me the ipads and i have the bank involved. you’d get the cash back on the credit card much quicker if the item didnt turn up.

It’s a 40 odd dollar purchase (software plugin).

Unfortunately I don’t have a credit card, and don’t really want one to be honest. Are they worth it for the protection over debit card? I very rarely buy things online, but with software there is no bricks and mortar option.

Paypal?

I’m rubbish – I don’t do Paypal either. Like I said, buying online isn’t something I’m too experienced at. Visa Debit really that unsafe?

nah for 40 dollars i’d just use it.

Visa Debit really that unsafe?

You can get your card cloned and defrauded paying for stuff in the UK. The US isn’t any more risky.

Check your bank t&c’s, they’ll offer you a crappy rate, or a good rate and a charge of a couple of quid.
Debit card is normally just a crappy rate – they’ll probably stick 5cents onto the exchange rate you get. No worse than a few quid either way.

Most software sites will allow you to choose a currency at checkout anyway, so you can pay in straight sterling and give the company the exchange rate profit – if you were spending a few quid i’d check both rates but for £40 just do whichever’s easier.

Your bank may well stop the transaction for a fraud check anyway.

As I don’t have a credit card, not using my debit card isn’t an option. I do use Paypal most of the time, but sometimes it’s not possible.

I was told by a woman in Nationwide never to use my debit card on line. If it gets done the money comes out of YOUR account where as Nationwide loses the money on the credit card.

Debit cards do not provide the same level of legal protection as you would have when using a credit card (see Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act) though many debit card issuers offer protection on a voluntary basis (it is worth checking with your debit card company what level of protection they offer).

i.e. if someone gets your credit card number and buys loads of stuff on it the bank is legally obliged to sort it out – if the same happens on your debit card then the bank may voluntarily refund it.

I have had snotty nosed lids buying Macs and phones and stuff on my credit card – barclaycard normally notice it pretty quickly and stop anything further and refund me with only a little hassle.

My only complaint is that they won’t give me the address of the fraudster 🙁

Got a mate with a credit card to pay for it in the end. Thanks all for the feedback.