Monday 21 September 2015

Always complaining...

It's great when you beat the bastards...
Good News - The Post Office called me this afternoon to tell us that their Head Office have agreed to return my money in full at the rate we bought at and without their usual handling charge of 3%. No apology but you can't have everything. Didn't take long and no argument, makes me wonder why. Who says it's pointless trying to stand up to these people - always complain when you are being ripped off.
Of course I shall never trust the PO again or buy any of their products if there is a reasonable alternative. I wonder how many millions they make with this very sharp practice?

Here's the story I put up on Facebook.

If you are going on holiday DO NOT PURCHASE a POST OFFICE MONEY CARD as we did. We had money left on return and the Post Office are trying to rip us off to a tune of over £150. Read below and share to warn your friends on Facebook. Here's my email to them titled - YOU ROBBED US.
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Hello Post Office,
As you can see by the title of this mail I am a very unhappy customer.
My wife and I purchased 2 travel money cards at Oldfield Brow Post Office, Altrincham on the recommendation of the lady behind the counter. We put £750 on each, purchased some cash in US and Barbadian dollars, and a couple of days later went away on holiday. We were told if we did not spend the money that we could get it back
My wife did not use hers so had $1,125 on return and I returned with a balance of $453.
We went back to the post office a few days after we got back to get our money and were told that we needed to ring customer services. We did this today and spoke to David who dealt with this for us and told me that I would be emailed a bar code and told my my wife that she would be sent a cheque. When my wife came off the phone she realised that the sum David quoted was over £100 pounds below what she put on the card. She rang David back to check and he told her that was the exchange rate.
My wife was told that she would be sent a cheque for £639.20 - THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. You have basically sold her a service she did not use and then charged her £110.80 for the privilege and a bit of plastic.
My wife's name is Gaynor Height, our postcode is ---- --- and the last 4 digits of her card are ----.
I had no idea what was on my card when I spoke to David, but it turns out my balance is $453.44 and I am sure that the same criminal exchange rate will apply.
My name is Andrew Height, our postcode is ---- --- and the last 4 digits of my card are ----.
So here's the thing:
- We were never told that you would charge a ridiculous percentage at the post office when we purchased the cards and while we expected a small charge for the transaction were not expecting to be totally ripped off.
- We are not happy with the amount of money you will be returning and what you are keeping without our prior consent
- I will be taking this as far as I need to to make sure that people who buy these cards know what they are getting into including making a complaint at the post office that we bought them from.
I expect you to get back to me to apologise and with a much better figure concerning the money you will be returning. I really can't believe that The Post Office considers this reasonable and acceptable business practice. I foolishly trusted your organisation to treat my wife and I fairly as I stupidly still think of you as a British institution to be admired. If we had not been sold the cards I would have taken cash and chanced being robbed. It seems that you have robbed me anyway whilst pretending that your card was a 'safer' option which it turns out it isn't. It's a rip off.
I am furious and disgusted. Please sort this out quickly.
A.K. Height

4 comments:

  1. Nicola Litherland Shared!

    Andrew Height Thanks, we wanted cash it was the PO staff that recommended this as a 'safer' option and then the PO robbed us.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cloe Fyne Ouch!

    Andrew Height Pass it on please. I feel completely fooled and cheated. I'm not letting this go.

    David Jones I think your problem Andrew is that a pre-paid credit card / Travel card is no different to buying currency and if you have to cash it back at the end you will only get the buy back rate not the sell rate applicable at the date you cash back. Robbery I know but that's how it works unfortunately. Advice - spend it all or keep it for another trip!!

    Andrew Height Next time I will stick with credit cards and cash. Unfortunately we were advised into this at the post office when we asked to purchase more dollars. I could have sold them at a profit. I'm not leaving it.


    Andrew Height Feel like a complete numpty Paul. I had credit cards and a grand in US and BBD - just wanted to be sure. Fucking robbers.

    Denise Smart Shared - Robbing twats xx

    Andrew Height Thanks Denise. Just reviewed the post office that recommended the cards. Not a good review.

    Denise Smart Have you left a review? x

    Andrew Height Yes and contacted royal mail direct and the card people and filled in a royal mail satisfaction survey and now I am going to see what they come back with.

    Denise Smart I contacted my local MP when I had a complaint agianst The Post Office and got a good result and an apology x

    Denise Smart Probably worth contact the Financial Ombudsman too x

    Andrew Height next step denise

    Andrew Height Review Centre and Money Saving Expert reviews complete

    Andrew Height Tripadvisor telling them to steer cleat of the PO that sold me this shit.

    Cath Dalton Could write to that guy on TV don't get done get Dom Is it. I always thought you got the same deal as when u buy the currency. I think you should get your cards back and get out to Barbados again soon . On another note I loved all your photos whole u were away and am glad ur back with the glass . It's ironic that ur based in the

    Cath Dalton Have shared too X

    Andrew Height Thanks Cath Dalton

    Sharon Hutt Wow that is outrageous. My friend I travel with always uses these cards and is using one now. I'll ask her about her. experiences (when she wakes up!)

    Andrew Height Never using one again. stick with cash and credit card as we intended until we were advised otherwise.
    Like · Reply · 10 hrs

    Kevin Parrott Unbelievable....!!!

    Andrew Height Yes, I feel totally conned Kevin.

    Sharon Hutt I typed another reply earlier but don't think it posted. Friend said you can insert cards into uk cashpoint and withdraw the balance if you have a problem. She also feels that the charge is outrageous and the advisor may have mis informed.
    Like · Reply · 10 hrs

    Andrew Height We'll see. I will try that thanks.
    Like · Reply · 10 hrs
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    Lucy Cutler Shared!! X
    Unlike · Reply · 1 · 2 hrs

    Andrew Height Thanks Lucy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Paul Whitehouse Great work Andrew. Well done

    Andrew Height Thanks Paul. Nobody should trust these cards though.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Cloe Fyne Yay smile emoticon

    Andrew Height I think it might have been the conversation I had with a senior CS manager today quoting him exchange rates, pointing out that the PO's was robbery, and telling him I was going to contract the Financial Ombudsman. I wonder how may people just leave it though?

    ReplyDelete