Ripped off by Travelex

fionacooper25

I recently used the Travelex website to try and buy some Euros online. It came highly recommended on this site as offering the best exchange rates available and this fact is verified on their website where they have a “Best Price Guarantee”.

Last Wednesday, I attempted to purchase Euros online to collect at Liverpool Airport on Friday morning. For some unknown reason, the transaction could not be completed, with no explanation given, however I was “issued” with a voucher to take to the airport. Hopefully, with this voucher I would still receive this great rate at the airport and was well aware that the exchange rate had not differed as I checked before leaving home.

When changing at the airport, I was horrified to be given an atrocious rate of less than 1%, walking away with fewer Euros to my Pound. If I had known the “voucher” was worthless, I would have changed my money at Marks & Spencer’s where they were offering the same 1.039 rate on Thursday.

What is the purpose of offering a "voucher" with 0% commission when they offer this service to every Tom, !!!!!! & Harry. Perhaps they should change their advertising to state that they guarantee the best price, commission-free, foreign currency in the UK – unless you’re at the airport where they'll do what they like as you have no other option!!

I have filed a complaint with their customer services. They have a money back guarantee if you can find a better offer elsewhere (internet only) but do they offer a money back guarantee if they are conning you by not letting you buy online?

chuckley

you failed to do research and lost.

sturll

chuckley wrote: »

you failed to do research and lost.

Tit.

:rolleyes:

MrSmartprice

I have noticed the rates that Travelex offer in the past, and I wonder how they ever do any business.

They never seem competitive and always want a chunk of commission on top. Why do people not just withdraw cash from ATMs abroad? As long as you have a Nationwide card you pay no extras and get a much better rate.

khizman

MrSmartprice wrote: »

I have noticed the rates that Travelex offer in the past, and I wonder how they ever do any business.

They never seem competitive and always want a chunk of commission on top. Why do people not just withdraw cash from ATMs abroad? As long as you have a Nationwide card you pay no extras and get a much better rate.

And you dont have to get rid of any money you may have left over!

stephb34

fionacooper25 wrote: »

I would have changed my money at Marks & Spencer’s where they were offering the same 1.039 rate on Thursday.

Is that all M&S were offering it at Thomas Cook were selling it at 1.08+++ thursday can't remember the last 3 numbers. Saturday, sunday and prob mon morn til about 10am its 1.1045 i was nearly tempted to buy some myself and i'm not going till later in the year.

dealsearcher

The problem here appears to be that the transaction was not completed but Travelex took the money anyway in exchange for a note which only gave the euros at the rate prevailing on the day of travel. Can't understand that myself. If they can take your money then you have made the purchase and the rate should be for the time the purchase was made.

All the more reason to get a Nationwide account and use a flex account debit card at an ATM abroad.

I don't think this forum would have recommended them as 'offering the best exchange rates available'. You may have read a thread or two where they were recommended for convenience of use if, and only if, you had to have cash. Being able to order online and pickup at the airport is convenient, but their exchange rate is lousy.

tldkid

Just don't use them. They have the worst rates, that's why their booths at airports are always the first you see. I lost £30 this way when I compared to another one past baggage claim.
Also, if you buy online, you will be charged by your bank for a cash transaction. Their rates at the airport are always worse so you can't win either way.
Just get enough for tips, taxis and so on. Use a credit card (not a debit card) for meals, hotels, shopping and so on.

stoneman

OP, if you still have the receipt for the money exchanged scan it and email it to their customer service centre. Let them know what happened, be polite, explain everything carefully, don't go off on one. Tell them that you were expecting them to give you the rate shown on the Internet, but you were only given the airport rate, they already had your money and you expect them to honour it. I have always found them quite helpful.
As for people saying they always have the worst rate, that is just incorrect, they usually have a quite decent rate on-line. But you just have to know how to get it bettered. I have used them a few times as sometimes you just need some local currancy to tied you over for the first day or so. All you have to do is get the rate from http://www.thomasexchangeglobal.co.uk/ take a screenshot and send it off to the CS dept. and hey presto, you get a cheque for the difference in rates, so in fact they usually have the BEST rates on offer.

budgetflyer

A few years back, I wrote an article on how to get up to £50 cashback under their best rate guarantee http://www.budgetflyer.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/travelex.html

Of course you would have needed to buy online to claim,so it would have been no use in this occasion anyway.
For nostalgia purposes, the letter template is below,note the date (2006) when we could get some decent Euros for our £

Budgetflyer
No1 Posh Street
Posh town
EXC1 U51V
United Kingdom
Customer Name: : budgetflyer
Reference Number: : 666666
Purchase Date: : Tue 12 Sep 2006

Amount £501.09 @ 1.4269 = €715

I have discovered http://www.thomasexchangeglobal.co.uk/ rate for same
amount was £1 = €1.45 which would have given me €726.58

Could you please refund the difference OR add it on at collection please

yours sincerely
Budgetflyer

dealsearcher

stoneman wrote: »

http://www.thomasexchangeglobal.co.uk/

That Thoma Sex Change Global is a good site. :T

Better just to get the best rate from that site rather than go to Travelex and then have the hassle of claiming back from them under their best rate promise.