Beware of money changer in Sabang: TropiXXX restaurant

[hdlee]

I am doing my instructor internship in sabang. On 3/May, I brought my traveler check to change money in Sabang. One of my friends here told me that TropiXXX restrant has better exchange rate. I decided to try it. After showing my passport and check, the guy in the restrant reception ask me to counter sign on my chcek, after i did it, this guy said, becuse your check is 500usd, may I see your receip from original issue bank? If you can not show me , I can't change money to you.
what's a fXXX question!! he asked me to sign my check and check my passport, then he ask me more information about this check, if i don't, he will not change money to me!! My bank only told me if i want to change money, all i need is bring your passport, and sign it when you want to change it.
I took the check to another money changer, they told me becuase you have couter sign it already, even you have the passport with you, we can not change money to u!
Finally, I use it in the dive shop I am doing internship with them. I bought some gear there.
Be careful the money changer TropiXXX, their staff will ask ur receipt after you counter sign the check, if you don't have the original receipt, they will ask you to take it back, or go away!!! What's a FFFF money changer!

 

[bill22]

Thanks for this post... I've never heard of being required to show a receipt in order to cash a travelers check. Normally you keep the receipt separate, in case you lose them or they're stolen. The receipt is for you so that you can get reimbursed if that happens. Not for proving you're the person who bought it.

Once you've been asked to sign then they are essentially agreeing to cash it for you, since you have to sign in the presence of the person who is cashing it for you. They shouldn't be asking for anything else once they ask you to sign. I would register a complaint with American Express or whoever sold you the travelers checks.

I'm sure that you saved some people from a big headache here. Those of us who dive in Puerto Galera, I'm sure appreciate it. These people won't get any of my business when I'm in PG next month.

 

[eagerbeaver]

There are some funny rules here due to the banks being super wary of fraud. It has been asked of me as a manager before to provide copies of the original purchase receipt of the TC. When you take the cheques to the bank to cash them you have to do as much as you can to prove that they are not faked or stolen.

Tropicana should have asked you for the receipt before getting you to sign it, so they did screw up...but then again, it is Sabang

How long have you been there and how long do you expect to stay?

 

[Jason Ooi]

Thanks for this post.

 

[Zeeman]

Cash is kind. Change it at the airport

Hold on to it tight...

 

[hdlee]

I have been here since January and will be staying here untill late May. I did my DM and IDC here, passed my IE in April. Sabang is a good place for diving. I have changed my TC in other money chnger for several times, only ask me to show my passport and countersign it. Only in Tropicana, they ask me this FFFF stupid question after I countersign my check. F

 

[Narcd_dvr]

Thanks for the post. Philippines is very unfriendly to travelers checks and if an establishment does accept it, they subject you to all these stupid verification. Back in '05, I made the mistake of bring TCs and was so sorry that I ever did.

 

[pyrodiver]

Cash, Credit card is always better when traveling here. My uncle who is Filipino but been living in the States for so long has always been carrying TCs. It's such a hassle to change it for him.

 

[Kupu]

I wouldn't hold that mistake against Tropicana. Probably, just a bonehead mistake by one employee who should have had the sense to request the receipt before the signature. Certainly an annoying situation...

There are a number of countries where it can be difficult to change travelers checks without proof of purchase receipts, even if they say you do not need receipts to cash them when you purchase the checks in your home country. Dive shops do seem to to accept travelers checks as payment with less hassle, versus changing the checks into pesos with money changers in the PI. Some shops accept them without any problem, no verification needed, but thats not something to count on when planning out funds for a trip.

Cash and credit/debit cards are all that I carry anymore, I got tired of the hassle involved with travelers checks, even if they might offer a bit more insurance against theft. Using common sense to avoid theft in the first place seems to makes the most sense.

 

[hdlee]

Credit Card needs 5%-10% surcharge here, the nearest ATM maybe in Batangas( or Calapan). The money changer has the right to accept the TC or not, but please ask me the original receipt before I sign it. We are talking about a 500usd TC, not 500 peso.