Icmeler Online Holiday Forum & Reviews - Turkey

We changed up some money last week in the change bureau by the Tandoori Sizzler. We were told by the lady in there that there were no charges, i.e. commission, admin, etc. She duly counted out our money, she gave us no receipt and off we went but I had a strange feeling about it. When we got back to the hotel and we checked our money we were 40 lire short. We went straight back, she looked surprised and said she did not know how it had happened (!!!) and gave us the 40 lire she'd short-changed us. We found out after that this practice is common place in this particulr bureau. After that we changed our money in the supermarket next door where we have been going for years.

Yes we was short changed money there has well. My grandson was 10 lira short on a couple of times. We was in there one night my granddaughter loved the buggies in there always talking to them. I was also short changed never went there anymore

i went there with my son and grandson i changed 100gbp and got the correct amount . My son changed 200 and was short changed my grandson who is only 8 changed his own money and got less than he should .to cheat a child out off his money is digraceful.

Its always best to count your money back in front of them where ever you change your money.

Simple Peli

They are all over the world and in any other country in the world they are the only places to use and it is only Turkey where you can change your money with everyone

Go to Rhodes for instance you need euros, nowt else will work and you need an official exchange office

I really can't understand how anyone would not check the amount they are given, I always check amount before I leave the place, in fact they should count it out to you as they give you it. You would always check change when you buy something so why would you not when you get your money changed? Common sense really.

Chocoholic wrote:I really can't understand how anyone would not check the amount they are given, I always check amount before I leave the place, in fact they should count it out to you as they give you it. You would always check change when you buy something so why would you not when you get your money changed? Common sense really.

Have to agree 100%. And to be fair if people have gone back and complained then they should think themselves lucky really to have got there money back......you wouldnt have in the uk!!!

We've changed money twice since we arrived on wednesday. We went in to "Mary Market" near the 3 bells (the one on the main road in to the old town) to buy a phone card and the guy told us he could exchange for lira at 2.87 - very reasonable we thought!

Took money out of the bank the next day and went in to Mary . it was a different person but he offered the same rate. We changed 300 and the guy calculated the exchange on his calculator and showed us exactly what we should get. He then counted the money very carefully in front of us and then insisted that I count it back to him to make sure. Needless to say, it was correct. We went back in yesterday and changed 200 this time and the guy went through the exact same procedure so I think it's fair to say that Mary Market not only offer a great rate, but are entirely trustworthy

Edit: double post

The lady in the exchange bureau did exactly the same, i.e. worked it out on her calculator, counted out in front of us and to all intents and purposes it was correct but something did not feel right and thats why we counted it back at the hotel which, luckily, was only round the corner and found it to be 40 lire short. So how she did it we just dont know. Very clever!!!!!

I always make a point of working out what I should get using the calc on my phone [unless I'm changing £100 ] and also count the lira myself too - before I leave the supermarket counter. I do it in front of the shop person too - with a smile of course
No room for errors that way

Someone on another forum had been ripped ff in another resort and sussed out that they had replaced some 10lira notes with 5lira ones so if we are not that familiar with the colour of their notes we may think its the correct amount.
Until we check it that is.

That's the key to all this "ripping off" by change offices - CHECKING what they've given

Well, we wont be using them again. We'll use our regular guy in the supermarket.

Happened to us as well. the lady(ehm) in the change office next to the Tandori counts the money very quickly and in the middle of counting she counts two 10 lira notes as 20s, therefore she is 20lira richer, good job my husband watches them like a hawk would never go back there, just stick to the shop next to the Tandori, do they not realise soon everyone will realise their scams
sue

I felt like putting a sign outside warning people. So very wrong. I just think it leaves a nasty taste. I have been going to Icmeler for the past 15 years and have never experienced anything like this before.

TBH after thinking about this, I reckon the best anyone can do is to DEMAND their English money back - that way the change office won't be able to sit on it until the exchange rate is more in their favour! AND continuing to let everyone know what robbing B*****ds they are!
I wonder whether anyone has reported them on that 3 digit number that's avail in Icmeler for dodgy dealings?

Thankyou for this warning,we passed this on to others aswell while we were there, and surprise, surprise people still having problems with this place!