That is weird totally. I got my cards for over 30 years and one has ever been blocked abroad.
This would be maximally inconvenient and then whole point of having the card would be lost to me if it can’t be reliably used abroad.
I use a Caxton currency card, never had a problem as they are designed for foreign use.
Preload from your current account with the app/website in most currencies, buy when it suits, keep multiple currencies, swap currencies etc. No fees, good exchange rate.
Peter wrote:
That is probably just a part of the anti fraud algorithm
My French debit card has a (frustratingly small) rolling two week limit on both purchases and ATM withdrawals, regardless of how much money is in my account. I suspect there is something similar for credit cards.
For this reason, I have a Finnish bank account as they have very high limits, but the customer service (and functionality of the account) has been so appalling that I intend to close the account.
As a UK resident, I found it difficult to find a bank that would give me a EUR account with a EUR debit card and not charge crazy fees. I discovered Starling bank and recently opened an account, and so far it looks to be very good. I opened GBP and EUR accounts, with a debit card that works for both. It has high daily withdrawal and purchase limits, and no fees on the services I intend to use.
(Wise is also a possibility, although they are not a bank and there is no deposit insurance. They possibly have better foreign exchange rates, but charge for transfers. As I already have EUR, Starling is better for me.)
Probably playing the ouroboros, but I try to use my Amex as much as I can since they offer the highest cashback of the plastic I’m using… crazy world really…
Presumably one way to get “zero” FX charges in the Eurozone is to pretend to live there and open a bank account 
Is that actually possible?
since they offer the highest cashback
They jolly well should, given the ~5% they charge to the merchant
Banks seem clueless on fraud. Email from Nationwide:
“We want you to recognise a fraudulent email if you receive one. TSB will always greet you personally with your name and quote either the last four digits of your account number or the last three characters of your postcode: 4NR.”
I’ve had as many as 5 phishing calls in one morning and some have my full address, including postcode. (Only 2 today.)
I was with Nationwide for years and got out a few years ago. Too many 1hr phone calls on Greek trips, trying to get my credit card back. A completely useless outfit.
Going back a few posts, various people did suggest to me over the years buying stuff on HP because regular repayments give you a credit rating! Well, 10 years ago we bought our two VW cars on HP, just to get 20% off, and then paid off the balance after 2 months 
The finance business must be run by really stupid people, and don’t get me started on the credit reference agencies which really are run by idiots (Experian, etc).
Fraudsters must have an easy ride, with these stupid banks. But then most people are careless and easily conned; this is very hard to do anything about, and the bank is (usually) liable.
Peter wrote:
Presumably one way to get “zero” FX charges in the Eurozone is to pretend to live there and open a bank account Is that actually possible?
It was possible without any pretending for UK citizens resident in the UK, before Brexit, as it is required by the EU. That is exactly what I did in Finland (pre-Brexit), but the EU requirement is for just a basic bank account, and what I got definitely fit the definition of basic. Other banks might be more generous, but Finland does not seem well setup if you are not resident and not in the ‘system’.
@Peter I refinanced our house three times in 13 months, using the same broker who made something like $7K in commission each time. The first two times were with the same bank, the only change was a reduction in the fixed interest rate that if they’d wanted to they could have given me instead on the existing loan, maybe after a short phone conversation. But that’s not their policy, it’s instead their policy to give money to loan brokers. The department qualifying the loans doesn’t even care that you already have the loan with them, their job is to create new loan numbers. If an old loan number gets cancelled in the process of creating a new one, that’s not their department’s problem
I’ve also played the ‘finance 30% of a new car purchase’ game, twice. The dealer splits the loan commission with you, asking you not to pay off the loan for a couple of months so they can collect the commission before the loan no longer exists. Sounds like it works the same way in the UK.
Banks are dumb, antiquated institutions, but at least they don’t turn off my credit cards randomly when I’m overseas anymore.
Peter wrote:
Well, there must be reason(s) for this difference. It could be something unrelated. For example my credit score is zero – because I don’t have a mortgage, have not had one for years, never borrowed any other money, never had an overdraft (or even a facility for one), never bought anything on hire purchase. The last one especially scores heavily because the HP lenders feed everything they have on you, including your payment latency to within 1 day resolution, to the credit reference agencies.
Its not this, I am in exactly the same situation as yourself wrt mortgage/overdraft/HP etc.
Peter wrote:
I was with Nationwide for years and got out a few years ago. Too many 1hr phone calls on Greek trips, trying to get my credit card back. A completely useless outfit.
Again, I have the opposite experience with their credit card – I opened the account to specifically use their credit card exclusively abroad. No problem for the last 5 yrs.
Regards, SD..
