Money Moral Dilemma: Should we have kept quiet about bureau de change blunder?

bluecanoe

The only time there was an 'error in my favour' was when I needed cash for an unexpected departure tax at a foreign airport and of course we had spent every last dollar we had. I had to find a bank, the bank wouldn't take my card because it didn't have the impressed numbers for the rolly thing (remember those?), back again to OH for another card and the back to the bank. I was through security before I realised I had twice as much money I should have, but I was just too fraught and panic stricken for any moral dilemmas. Now I am always hours early for any flights!

Augustus_the_Strong

How could it have been your wife's fault? She asked for dollars & was given euros, so clearly the staff did it wrong. But hopefully the idea of keeping the extra cash (which it effectively is) wouldn't have occurred to you if the staff member had been polite and grateful. Your wife did the right thing, don't spoil it by being dishonest. But the real lesson is, check things carefully before you leave the shop, because if it had been the other way round, you would have lost out big time as they would not have repaid you.

cz7gdm

You did the right thing in going back to the money exchange shop - but the wrong thing in dealing with the same clerk instead of a manager. The clerk (usually) has no interest in admitting an error was made - as transpired when you went back. The manager needs to know an error was made, and is the only one who can reward you for your honesty.

As mentioned elsewhere - you would have saved yourself time by checking before leaving the shop.

meknowalot-51

Take it all back and explain what's happened,these things are tracable.Your wife and the assistant are possibly both at fault,unless the travel agent took £510 from your card after your wife had mistakenly asked for euros.If your wife did ask for dollars i can't think why she recieved euros,also watching the money being counted out.Check your card transaction to see how much sterling was taken.It looks to me that one or both were daydreaming and this is the result.Most importantly take it back so as it can all be sorted in the correct manor,enjoy your holiday.Perhaps next time you should do important things like this yourself rather than allowing someone else to do it.

Ebenezer_Screwj

With hindsight knowledge that the cashier was going to be rude, it's tempting to say "do nothing and let the cashier suffer a till difference" but your wife was honest, so she's the winner.

Shipping_Agent

I WOULD KEEP THE MONEY IF IT WAS ME.

I REMEMBER ONCE ON RECEIVING SOME TRAVELLERS CHEQUES THEY HAD SENT ME 1 MORE £100 EURO NOTE THEN THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE. I CONTACTED THEM AND ASKED WHAT I SHOULD DO, SO I SENT IT BACK A INSTRUCTED. NOT A THANK YOU KISS MY BACKSIDE ANY ANYTHING ELSE. :money:

johnkanes

mad_rich wrote: »

Right next to the cash desk there will be a sign saying something along the lines of 'Please check your currency carefully as mistakes cannot be rectified later'.

If the boot was on the other foot, and you got home to find they'd given you $660 instead of €660, would they cough up the missing money when you went in the next day? I doubt it. "I'm sorry sir, but we double check all currency before it leaves. There's no way we could have given you the wrong amount".

I tend to agree. I woudl probably have gone back to the shop and said something like "You seem to have made a mistake with my currency earlier" if - as many would - they then fell back on the "mistakes cannot be rectified later" line I would not feel at all guilty about keeping the money and would go somewhere else to exhange it into dollars! Of course, if their customer service skills are good enough to actually engage with the problem I would also act accordingly.

JeremyCH

Definately did the tight thing - we all shout quickly enough if a bill is wrong or we get short-changed so the other side of the coin holds true. On more than the odd occassion I've pointed out errors and been told 'thank you but our mistake so we'll honour it' - definate result (albeit for the odd quid or two) but, as someone else says, at least my mind is clear

caseyr

Think I would have called them and let them go to the trouble of rectifying the mistake.

themull1

I wouldn't have taken it back - neither would my husband. Our morals are sooo low!!