Travelex Cash Passport problem

sugarbabe84

Please help.

I am currently on holiday and due to come back tomorrow. Unfortunately I've been totally penniless during this holiday as a result of having taken the Travelex Cashpassport which has been a complete fail.

I bought US dollars on the Cashpassport and on my second day of holiday the card got retained by a cash machine before I'd even entered my pin. I contacted Travelex straight away, they blocked the card and I requested emergency cash. The lady on the phone informed me that the money (the full balance on the card) would have to be sent by Moneygram in the country I'm holidaying in. When I visited the moneygramm desk, they informed me that the money is not available in my country of holiday and is in another country. This was contrary to the agreement I had had with the lady on the phone.

I tried to ring them several times after that and the phone wasn't working. When I eventually got through to them, the lady on the other line claimed she couldn't hear me and after I rang them again, she kept me holding the line for 15 minutes till I eventually gave. I sent them emails requesting them to call me and got no response. My holiday is over tomorrow and moneygram still have been unable to give me the money. I have spent up to £10 in phonecalls.

When my holiday is over, the USD will mean nothing to me. I don't know what the next step when I get back tomorrow is. Request a refund and recover my costs? and/or take the matter up with the financial services ombudsman?

Please advise.

dzug1

You cannot take anythoing up with the ombudsman until you have gone through Travelex own complaints procedure and not come up with a satisfactory response. So that's the first thing to do.

Nit sure I understand the phone bit - don't travelex have a free phone number in the US?