Credit card debt ‘could increase abroad’

A debit and credit card debt warning has been offered to people using their plastic abroad.

Moneyfacts analyst Michelle Slade said that holidaymakers should make sure they know what additional charges will be levied if they use a debit or credit card abroad.

She explained a foreign usage charge applies to the majority of credit cards, with up to three per cent levied on purchases and cash transactions.

This could cause problems for people trying to clear debt, with Ms Slade warning that the charge is applied every time the card is used and the total could add up to “a significant amount”.

“Customers could find their balance much lower than expected when they get home if they are not careful,” she concluded.

Defaqto recently said that despite the fact that most cards charge a fee upwards of 2.75 per cent on foreign usage, there are some that do not levy any charges.

Providers offering such credit or debit cards include the Post Office and Nationwide Building Society, it added.