what is a rip off is the experience we had in H three weeks ago. We later reported it to the Local Council Belederi there.So a WARNING to all.. ALWAYS stay at the counter and count your lira in front of them after they exchange your stering for lira!!!
The place in question was the money exchange at the entrance to the mall !!!
On day three of our recent holiday I went in there and exchanged some sterling... the lira he handed over to me ( I counted it in his prescence ) was 10 lira short . I informed him it was short.. he didnt apologise, took the cash back, and quickly gave me the ten lira. Mmmmm I thought, was it intentional him trying to short change me ? or was it accidental..Was he hoping I would just stuff the lira in my pocket without checking it as I bet many brits do ? On this occasion I gave him ( there were three men there behind the counter ) the benefit of the doubt, and walked out.
On day 6 I went in there again, same three guys behind the counter, approached one of them,a different one this time, and exchanged some sterling for lira. Same thing happened !!! this time I blew up at them, saying first time could have been unintentional, but not this time, a second time !!... thats twice now you have tried it on !! You are relying on brits not checking the cash at the counter.. you are deliberately trying to `cheat` us !! how many come in here and dont count it out in front of you ? !! My rant at them went on,with me threatening them with the gendarmarie etc.. they remained silent throughout all the time.. no apologies, and no explanation from them
On day 9 my wife decided to go in there to change sterling... I remained outside out of sight from the staff . The same thing happened to her only worse ( because she was a female ) 35 lira short this time !!! She then gestured to me to come in, and when I did their faces dropped... we both blew up at them so much the `mall official guard` came in, but he just looked gormless at us.. the three guys behind the counter again offered no explanation.. I took the calculator off one of them, and angrily showed them how simple it was to calculate and get right. But the figure they tell you you will receive.. is different to the figure they hand over to you. three times now I told them... three times you attempted to `cheat` !! with that we then reported them to the Belediri... since then we met someone else out there who was 99% sure that he was done by those guys as well, but he unfortunately left their premises before he checked his cash. A nice little earner for them I bet. How many people per day exchange cash and dont check, trusting them ?
I know.. you could say.. you should always check your lira in front of them.. and thats very true. But its the `intent` that hurts... the fact that they are gambling you will just place your cash in your purse, or pocket without checking it. Sorry but it soured it a bit for us out there in May
We were later informed that this particular exchange place ( in front of the mall entrance, remember it folks !!!!! ) were last season working in Bodrum. Not sure if they are still in H now after we reported them, If they are the message is `check your sterling in front of them ` of course other exchange places out there may be trying the same `trick` !!!