Rules for the rulers and the ruled...
Ok, I am mad so this is gonna be a huge ass rant entry with really no wit or thought which, come to think of it, really wont be that different from the rest of my entries, huh?
Here I am, in Singapore, and am told by my wife that since the Canadan dollar is up higher than it has been in a long time, it would be wise of me to go and change in some more of my travelers cheques for dollars and take advantage of this trend. So, today after I met her for lunch, I went to the nearest money changer that we have always gone to at the Northpoint shopping centre:
M & M Ismail & Co
930 Yishun Ave 2 #01-K2 Northpoint Shopping Centre Singapore 769098
t: 67558445
I had been there a few days previously and managed to change in $2000 canadian travelers cheques and $35 in US dollars for Singapore money at a rate of 1.5. I know, that was a great deal and I felt that something was up but not really gonna mention anything since I trust that this is a normal currency transaction. I show them my wares (travelers cheques), they give me an offer (1.5), I gladly take the offer and we buy/sell our items together. Here I am again, at the same store, showing them my travelers cheques. He takes all $5000 of them, looks them over and goes "oh, you were here few days ago with $2000 travelers cheques" and he pulls out the travelers cheques I signed and gave him back then. I looked at the signature, saw it was mine and said "yes, that was me". He then smiles and says "you owe us $90".
Yeah, needless to say I was a little taken aback by this statement. I asked 'pardon?' and he said that he gave me the American exchange rate for them and not the Canadian and it wasnt til they took the cheques upstairs that they noticed their mistake but by then I had left the counter. I could give the whole Abbot and Costello banter back and forth about the whole event but basically these were the two positions that were being taken:
M & M Ismail & Co - Mistake was made by them in patrons favor few days ago, patron owes changers $90.
Patron - Money changer made a mistake in favor of the patron, big ass notice on the money changers board reading "NOTICE: Customers are required to check their amounts before leaving the counter. The Management disclaims responsibility for any miscalculation after their leaving". Therefore, the mistake was done, we both checked our amounts back then, both were happy back then, I left with the amount and nothing was said.
I kept repeating the point about the sign and the windfall in my favor and he kept repeating "you owe us $90". I even went as far as saying "ok, let's reverse the situation and say you made a misteake and cheated me out of $90, could I come 4 days later and get it back from you?" his response "no, that didnt happen, you owe us $90". Back and forth this went, me realizing what was happening but trying to show him that according to his own rules of business that states the patron has to check for amount being correct, he should be responsible for checking and making it right before patron leaves. Both times, back and forth it went him not comprehending what I was saying, me not wanting to give up $90 for a mistake that he made in my favor.
I would have taken the travelers cheques at that point and said 'nope' and walked away but he had them all in his little glass cage and the only way for me to reach them would be to stick my arm up to my elbow in and grab them from his grasp. Now in a counter where they cane you vandalism and execute you for even possessing an amount of drugs over a certain limit, I had huge visions of what would happen if I reached into a secured money changing location to grab travelers cheques. So, with my travelers cheques held hostage by this individual, what could I do but say "ok". At one point I had not one, not two but THREE people with thick Indian accents trying to explain the situation to this dumb little Canuck that couldn't seem to grasp the situation that he owed money to these money changers.
When I told my wife about this situation, I basically got the idea that it was my fault. I should have held all the travelers cheques in my pocket, asked what the exchange rate was and only after it was set in stone, handed over the travelers cheques. Not sure how that would have stopped him at that point for taking the cheques and holding them and then telling me about the money that was owed. Apparently the common practice for dealing with money lenders is to treat them like theives and dishonest folk. I thought dealing with lawyers, politicians and drug dealers in Canada was bad, obviously I have not been prepared or taught how to deal with the low lifes that practice business here in Singapore.
Anyways, that is just my mindless rant about M & M Ismail & Co in Northpoint shopping centre here in Singapore. Not like anyone in Singapore even reads this little spot in cyberspace so not like it is going to hurt their business any if I say 'be warned. Go somewhere else. These money changers may be pleasant but if a business person doesnt practice their own rules of checking amounts before you leave, then they really arent worth doing business with'. So, like my wife says about the gov't, police, laws and social stigma in Singapore "there really isnt anything we can do about it, so might as well just smile and go along with it". So, I will smile, I will go along with it, and I will take all my money changing needs to another location and not go near M & M Ismail & Co ever again. I also feel I can write this because I am not slamming Singapore or the Singaporean way of life, just slamming a business that I feel has treated me unfairly.
Here I am, in Singapore, and am told by my wife that since the Canadan dollar is up higher than it has been in a long time, it would be wise of me to go and change in some more of my travelers cheques for dollars and take advantage of this trend. So, today after I met her for lunch, I went to the nearest money changer that we have always gone to at the Northpoint shopping centre:
M & M Ismail & Co
930 Yishun Ave 2 #01-K2 Northpoint Shopping Centre Singapore 769098
t: 67558445
I had been there a few days previously and managed to change in $2000 canadian travelers cheques and $35 in US dollars for Singapore money at a rate of 1.5. I know, that was a great deal and I felt that something was up but not really gonna mention anything since I trust that this is a normal currency transaction. I show them my wares (travelers cheques), they give me an offer (1.5), I gladly take the offer and we buy/sell our items together. Here I am again, at the same store, showing them my travelers cheques. He takes all $5000 of them, looks them over and goes "oh, you were here few days ago with $2000 travelers cheques" and he pulls out the travelers cheques I signed and gave him back then. I looked at the signature, saw it was mine and said "yes, that was me". He then smiles and says "you owe us $90".
Yeah, needless to say I was a little taken aback by this statement. I asked 'pardon?' and he said that he gave me the American exchange rate for them and not the Canadian and it wasnt til they took the cheques upstairs that they noticed their mistake but by then I had left the counter. I could give the whole Abbot and Costello banter back and forth about the whole event but basically these were the two positions that were being taken:
M & M Ismail & Co - Mistake was made by them in patrons favor few days ago, patron owes changers $90.
Patron - Money changer made a mistake in favor of the patron, big ass notice on the money changers board reading "NOTICE: Customers are required to check their amounts before leaving the counter. The Management disclaims responsibility for any miscalculation after their leaving". Therefore, the mistake was done, we both checked our amounts back then, both were happy back then, I left with the amount and nothing was said.
I kept repeating the point about the sign and the windfall in my favor and he kept repeating "you owe us $90". I even went as far as saying "ok, let's reverse the situation and say you made a misteake and cheated me out of $90, could I come 4 days later and get it back from you?" his response "no, that didnt happen, you owe us $90". Back and forth this went, me realizing what was happening but trying to show him that according to his own rules of business that states the patron has to check for amount being correct, he should be responsible for checking and making it right before patron leaves. Both times, back and forth it went him not comprehending what I was saying, me not wanting to give up $90 for a mistake that he made in my favor.
I would have taken the travelers cheques at that point and said 'nope' and walked away but he had them all in his little glass cage and the only way for me to reach them would be to stick my arm up to my elbow in and grab them from his grasp. Now in a counter where they cane you vandalism and execute you for even possessing an amount of drugs over a certain limit, I had huge visions of what would happen if I reached into a secured money changing location to grab travelers cheques. So, with my travelers cheques held hostage by this individual, what could I do but say "ok". At one point I had not one, not two but THREE people with thick Indian accents trying to explain the situation to this dumb little Canuck that couldn't seem to grasp the situation that he owed money to these money changers.
When I told my wife about this situation, I basically got the idea that it was my fault. I should have held all the travelers cheques in my pocket, asked what the exchange rate was and only after it was set in stone, handed over the travelers cheques. Not sure how that would have stopped him at that point for taking the cheques and holding them and then telling me about the money that was owed. Apparently the common practice for dealing with money lenders is to treat them like theives and dishonest folk. I thought dealing with lawyers, politicians and drug dealers in Canada was bad, obviously I have not been prepared or taught how to deal with the low lifes that practice business here in Singapore.
Anyways, that is just my mindless rant about M & M Ismail & Co in Northpoint shopping centre here in Singapore. Not like anyone in Singapore even reads this little spot in cyberspace so not like it is going to hurt their business any if I say 'be warned. Go somewhere else. These money changers may be pleasant but if a business person doesnt practice their own rules of checking amounts before you leave, then they really arent worth doing business with'. So, like my wife says about the gov't, police, laws and social stigma in Singapore "there really isnt anything we can do about it, so might as well just smile and go along with it". So, I will smile, I will go along with it, and I will take all my money changing needs to another location and not go near M & M Ismail & Co ever again. I also feel I can write this because I am not slamming Singapore or the Singaporean way of life, just slamming a business that I feel has treated me unfairly.
posted by Capt_Canuck at 1:05 AM
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