Friend here sent 400,000 Francs ( $80,000 then ) via a bank transfer from the UK to France to buy a house. It got 'borrowed' en route by an employee of one the three banks involved. An officer at his local bank admitted this, but it was covered up to avoid bad publicity. Took six weeks to recover it.
I use an Amex card for trans-Channel stuff, internet purchases etc., which I've had for over 15 years. Only ever had one problem, when I lost it and someone used it to buy gasoline. Amex wrote off the debt immediatlely, no hassle, one free phone call. I pay off any use at month-end by automatic direct debit. Don't need a card otherwise, as a cheque, (sorry check!), here is cast-iron. Going overdrawn here is really serious, and results in you getting blacklisted by every other bank in France for years. Boy, you better make sure checks are covered by a positive balance! My wife has a credit card, but only so she can hire cars in the UK when she flies to England without me. Only the driver of a hire car can do the transaction
because of the levels of hire-car theft. Hertz (and everyone else) won't accept associate cards, checks, debit cards, cash, it's got to be the driver's credit card. Sad that the honest majority have to suffer for the criminal minority. Just hope no-one steals my identity, I've grown quite fond of it.
Gladys Cutout (Mrs)
