If you traveled abroad during the past decade and made purchases with a credit or debit card, you're probably eligible for a refund of $25 or more.
The refund is the result of a class action lawsuit filed against Visa, MasterCard and the Diners Club that accused them of conspiring to conceal fees charged for foreign purchases.
Notices to 20 million travelers who could benefit from the settlement were mailed out in November. If you didn't receive one, just call (800) 945-9890 or go to www.ccfsettlement.com.
If you're eligible for a refund, you can opt to receive $25. This option is suggested if you traveled overseas for less than one week or charged less than $2,500 outside the country during the 10-year period. No documents are required -- just a signature asserting that you traveled outside the country, a credit card number and the name of the bank that issued the card. You can apply for one refund only, no matter how many cards you used.
Another option is a "Total Estimation Refund." This will amount to up to 1% of estimated foreign purchases, and will be calculated for you based on typical spending outside the country.
This is recommended if you traveled abroad for more than one week or had foreign credit card purchases and other transactions of more than $2,500. You need to estimate the total number of days spent outside the country and answer a few questions about how much of the travel was vacation, business-related and for visiting friends or relatives.
Click here to learn more about the credit card settlement.
interest.com