albatross710
Established Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2004
- Posts
- 3,747
OK, It's been on my mind for a month and I can't quite work out where I got done out of 40% of my money. The story goes like this.
The main street of Seminyak, Bali, I look for a money changer and of course choose one which has a higher exchange rate than the others I have seen.
The sign points me down a small alley, past three girls offering massages. The girls are happy to let me pass.
I go to the counter, no security screen like other money changers, seems to be more of a tour booking desk. Two men help me. One stands directly across form me, the other is at the end of the counter to my left.
Being the cautious traveler, I change A$100.
The guy in front counts out half of the money in Rp 50,000 notes. (The main street money changers always give Rp100,000 notes.)
The guy to my left makes up the other half of the money, still using Rp50,000 notes.
I carefully count everything, still one guy across the counter, the other to my left.
I split the money, some into my wallet, some into my left trouser pocket and the remaining into my right.
On the way out, the massage girls are happy to see me pass and make lots of noise.
I cross the road to Mrs Albatross and tell her I've just been ripped off, I just don't know how.
About 15 minutes later when paying for a coffee I get a chance to count my money again and I'm well short.
I still have my wallet, my credit cards, my iPhone, just missing about 40% of the exchanged money.
So where was the scam?
Alby
The main street of Seminyak, Bali, I look for a money changer and of course choose one which has a higher exchange rate than the others I have seen.
The sign points me down a small alley, past three girls offering massages. The girls are happy to let me pass.
I go to the counter, no security screen like other money changers, seems to be more of a tour booking desk. Two men help me. One stands directly across form me, the other is at the end of the counter to my left.
Being the cautious traveler, I change A$100.
The guy in front counts out half of the money in Rp 50,000 notes. (The main street money changers always give Rp100,000 notes.)
The guy to my left makes up the other half of the money, still using Rp50,000 notes.
I carefully count everything, still one guy across the counter, the other to my left.
I split the money, some into my wallet, some into my left trouser pocket and the remaining into my right.
On the way out, the massage girls are happy to see me pass and make lots of noise.
I cross the road to Mrs Albatross and tell her I've just been ripped off, I just don't know how.
About 15 minutes later when paying for a coffee I get a chance to count my money again and I'm well short.
I still have my wallet, my credit cards, my iPhone, just missing about 40% of the exchanged money.
So where was the scam?
The counting of the notes?
Pickpocket by girls?
Elsewhere?
Pickpocket by girls?
Elsewhere?
Alby