Credit Cards & ATMs

tony_montanaa · #1 (**permalink**) 19/01/06, 11:41:00

American Express

The office at Jr. Belén 1040 (tel. 01/330-4485) is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. There is another office with similar hours at Pardo y Aliaga 698, San Isidro (tel. 01/222-2525). Both are housed with Lima Tours travel agencies; they will replace stolen or lost traveler's checks and sell American Express checks with an Amex card, but neither office will cash its own checks.

Cheers!

supertrump · #2 (**permalink**) 20/02/06, 22:38:02

Be aware that visitors can use their credit cards almost in any decent place, like restaurants, gas stations, department stores or hotels.

Visa and Mastercard are the more accepted.

Also, be aware that almost no call-girl will accept your credit card. There are some agencies that do accept credit card but I've never use them. Just remember to have some soles prepared when you call the girl.

Supertrump.

tony_montanaa · #3 (**permalink**) 21/02/06, 22:31:19

Cita:

Iniciado por supertrump

Be aware that visitors can use their credit cards almost in any decent place, like restaurants, gas stations, department stores or hotels. Visa and Mastercard are the more accepted. Also, be aware that almost no call-girl will accept your credit card. There are some agencies that do accept credit card but I've never use them. Just remember to have some soles prepared when you call the girl. Supertrump.

yep! however do keep in mind that if you pay with a foreign credit card you have to show a valid ID to the seller/waitress. Only very few times I've seen that the sellers just smile while your credit is being aapproved by the machine and without any ID submission....beware!

Have fun,

TONY

**RT Gooch** · #4 (**permalink**) 22/02/06, 15:58:51

RT here. The only two places that they have asked for ID when I used my credit cards are Roky's on Av. Angamos and at La Quinta opposite Parque Central/Kennedy in Miraflores.

Everywhere else, they just ran the card.

Of course, all the hotels had my passport on file already.

tigre · #5 (**permalink**) 22/02/06, 16:20:32

Thats strange. Because of credit card fraud, almost everybody asks for ID. I dont know how they react if they see a foreigner but in theory there should be no difference. Anyway, its always good to always carry some form of ID just in case.

tony_montanaa · #6 (**permalink**) 23/02/06, 15:29:13

RTB,

I agree with TIGRE. You were lucky this time and I suggest you better take any ID with you all the time. A copy of the passport helps a lot and a driver license is also good for these purposes.

A relative of mine got a HUGE problem at the supermarket once when she realised that she forget her ID at home. You can imagine the ruckus in front of the cashier Jesus! and it really was an annoying situation with all the cart full of products and other customers witnessing all the embarrassing situation....

Cheers dude,

TONY

**RT Gooch** · #7 (**permalink**) 23/02/06, 20:36:58

RT here. I always have my driver's license with me. For the most part, I only use my credit cards in the top-end restaurants, hotels, and in one of the shoe stores near Ripleys in Miraflores. Usually, I pay cash.

Probably, I was just lucky. Or it could be my innocent-looking face!!!

Juan Alimana · #8 (**permalink**) 23/09/06, 14:41:34

I never had any problems using my driver's license as proof of ID in Lima or any other part of the worls except at Tottus. It was an annoying experience. I hope it's not a company policy and just an ignorant supervisor afraid of accepting foreign ID's

**Homo_Lo_Gato** · #9 (**permalink**) 23/09/06, 15:29:37

Cita:

Iniciado por Juan Alimana

I never had any problems using my driver's license as proof of ID in Lima...

Law requires, in Perú, to exhibit the official ID document when using credit cards. That would be DNI for peruvians, Carnet de Extranjería, for resident foreigners, and Passport for all other foreigners.

Most top-end restaurants and hotels will accept a driver's license as proof of ID for foreigners, since they know that is customary elsewhere; but in Tottus, probably the one in Mega Plaza Norte which is located in Los Olivos (not precisely top-end residential or tourist area), they probably just don't know.

In any case they are not obligued to accept anything less than a passport; they would certainly not accept anything less than a DNI from a peruvian, no place would.

Sorry!

Juan Alimana · #10 (**permalink**) 23/09/06, 15:40:24

Thanks for the clarification Gato, but it is such an inconvenience carrying my passport around. Besides, Metro next door accepted my driver's license with no problems.

macmasher · #11 (**permalink**) 15/11/06, 20:08:19

I've been mongering in Latin America for awhile (DR and CR)... but will be visiting Peru for the first time in March.

I'll be in Lima for a week, and rarely spend more than $150 per day (including lodging) on mongering trips. So assume I'll want access to a bit less than $1000 for the week.

Do I dare just bring all cash? If not, how about a Visa/PLUS debit card? Or traveler's checks (again, Visa brand)?

If my hotel choice might affect your suggestion(s), I'll probably be staying at the Maria Luisa. I look forward to your advice, and promise a comprehensive trip report upon returning to the States.

mac

rbc100 · #12 (**permalink**) 15/11/06, 20:53:20

Look forward to your reports Macmasher. I travel on about the same budget you do. I usually bring about half cash and then use ATM's with a debit card for my local bank which is Master Card. I had little problem with atm's in Lima though I did try a couple that didn't work for me. I generally bring a credit card in case of problems but don't carry it around but keep it in safe.ATM's are very available in Lima and Maria Luisa had decent exchange rate when I was there.rbc100

**P69** · #13 (**permalink**) 25/11/06, 13:36:47

I can tell you that Banco Continental does not accept Mastercard in their ATMs. The most efficient ones for me are the Interbank ATMs. They are ubiquitouos and yellow. Bear in mind too that US bank usually impose a limit of $500/day. You can access that amount in the Interbank ATMS by doing 2 transactions within the same ATM access: I mean, the $ limit posted on the screen is $300. So you access that, get your $s, when the machine asks if you want another transaction, say yes , and then get the remaining $200. Finito.

f8tlsn8k · #14 (**permalink**) 15/02/07, 05:01:33

i've always paid cash at restaurants and other establishments, but the few times I've used a credit card my CDL was more than sufficient.

**RT Gooch** · #15 (**permalink**) 03/05/07, 07:17:13

RT here. Last week, I walked into the Hacienda Casino, went to the cage and handed them my Capital One credit card and my Florida Driver's license. I asked the clerk for 500 Soles. She ran the card, had me sign the slip and gave me chips for the 500 soles.

I just checked my online statement. The transaction was run as a sale, so there was no cash advance fee, and I was charged $157.73 for the money, an exchange rate of 3.17. This morning's rate was 3.173, and the guys on the street were offering 3.15 that day, so this was a good, easy, and 24-hour deal.