Pulled cash in Kaunas at a SEB ATM. The choice looked like USD vs EUR, but the USD option added a massive margin. I went with EUR, and Wise billed me ...

In Tofo, I used a Standard Bank ATM near Fatima’s Nest hostel. Same pop-up asking me to accept conversion. Looked like the safe option, but the markup...

I ran into the same thing at a CB Bank ATM in Bagan, right outside my guesthouse. The screen wording is designed to make you think “accept” is safer, ...

At an HSBC ATM in Oman, same message popped up. Accept looked tempting, but the markup was obvious in the numbers. I pressed decline, got charged in O...

Banco Continental machine near the bus terminal gave me the same option. The wording is very misleading. Accept = expensive USD rate. Decline = pay in...

Used a BCI ATM near Matira Beach, same conversion screen popped up. It said “accept to lock in rate.” Total scam. When I accepted once, I lost almost ...

At a UniCredit Bulbank ATM in Plovdiv, the same thing came up. The USD option was labelled as “recommended.” It’s not-it’s a rip-off. I hit BGN instea...

Yaoundé, at a Société Générale ATM, same story. Screen asked if I wanted to be charged in USD. I pressed accept once and got hammered on the rate. Wis...

At an ICBC ATM in Shanghai, I saw the same screen. The wording was sneaky: “Lock in today’s guaranteed rate.” I hit accept once-big mistake. The rate ...