Credit Cards in Spain

[Warren S Smith]

Having seen the thread concerning the problems with "low tech" credit cards in France, please note that NO such problems exist in Spain. This is particularly relevant for those joining the El Camino de Santiago Tour - only 7 weeks to go!

 

Normal, magnetic strip cards work perfectly well. You can even trade the mother-in-law in for half a tank.

[PAUL MARRIOTT]

Thanks Warren, I've just got to get through France then.

 

Paul M.

 

The K Series with a red inlet manifold.

 

 

[ECR]

I have had problems with tills not accepting visa cards in Spain.

 

Apparently Spanish filling stations are a black spot area for fraud. The scam is that you fill up, present your card which goes thru normally and you leave. When you are half an hour up the road they put another transaction thru on your account (don't ask me how...) and pocket the money.

 

Because I was touring I filled up twice within a very short space of time soon after we docked and this alerted the card company whose computer automaticaly put a "please check with card issuer" warning on the card which then appeared at the till. Needless to say what with the language problem and a queue at the till the assistant just handed me the card back saying "no good !".

 

The card company were trying to protect me but it caused some difficulty. They advise that I contact them to let them know if I travel in Spain again and this will prevent the automatic issue of the contact warning.