The court will rule if card purchases abroad are protected

The OFT wants to know if people who buy goods on their credit card abroad get as much protection as they do at home.

At present, if consumers buy a faulty item with a card in the UK, they can often claim compensation from the credit company.

But the credit card firms insist the protection does not apply overseas, and a decision is not expected for a week.

Dispute

Under the Consumer Credit Act both credit card issuers and suppliers are liable if a consumer has a problem with their purchase.

The law only applies if the value of the purchase is greater than �100 and less than �30,000.

But it has never been established whether that rule applies just to purchases made in the UK or those made abroad as well.

The OFT believes the act does cover purchases abroad.