People’s Currency Exchange

Never again!
I don’t think I have ever been treated more disrespectfully as a customer than by the two men who work at this currency exchange. Fortunately, I have never had to use a currency exchange or a check casher, but on this occasion I needed to send some money via Western Union to a Middle Eastern country as part of a business transaction. To begin with, the people working there act as if they are doing you a favor. I told the man at the window that this was the first time I had ever sent money though Western Union. He already seemed irritated. I waited several minutes while he took my paperwork and my check card. He seemed to be struggling to get the money transfer started. After he and the other man worked together to get it through, he brought out a small paper and asked me to verify the information. They had misspelled the name of the recipient. He gruffly walked back to his computer. It took him a few more minutes to get the name corrected. He then brought another paper back with the name spelled correctly. I asked him why the recipients phone number was not on there, as I was under the impression that the transfer would be wired to the recipient’s phone. He claimed that this was not possible, despite me filling out the form with the recipient’s phone number and checking off the box to indicate a mobile transfer. I showed him a copy of the email and invoice I got from the intended recipient, and he was completely dismissive of it. Not knowing any better, I told him ok. He swiped my card and asked me to enter a pin number. I told him that he should process the VISA check card as credit. He told me this was not possible, because Western Union needs the money «immediately.» I have no idea why processing it through VISA is impossible at this backwards place. I entered what I thought might be my PIN number. I did not use this card often, and never as a PIN numbered transaction. He got angry and told the other man that I had entered «the wrong PIN.» He then used some profanity while at the computer and complained that, «…if I have to f****** do this again…» I asked him if for whatever reason the recipient was not able to claim the money, could I get my money refunded? He told me my money would be refunded, but the Western Union fee would not be refunded. I then told him that I did not have a PIN number for this card and he told me that I would not be able to complete the transaction. I said, let me call my broker to get some information about the PIN number. After speaking to my broker’s customer service — real, caring, and professional customer service representatives — I was able to create a PIN number. When I returned to the window, the other older man was at the window and snidely remarked to me, «Do you know your PIN number?» I thought, «No, I just came up here to guess again.» They again struggled to complete the transaction and another customer standing to the left of me remarked that they needed to find a faster way to send dollars. I concurred, adding that the staff was very rude. After waiting several more minutes, while they pace around angrily in their disorganized back area with a television on loudly, the older man finally came back with a paper for me to verify the information again. I verified it, but asked the older man why it could not be sent to my recipient’s mobile phone. He claimed it was not possible, likewise. I completed the transaction and asked him how my recipient would be able to find out about his money. He told me to send the tracking number to the recipient. After spending approximately 45 minutes in a foul smelling and sweltering front area, I was happy to be on my way. Hopefully, the transaction will work out fine, but I will never go to this particular exchange again. I considered myself supporting a small business instead of simply going to a Walgreens or some other Western Union kiosk. However, I cannot recommend this particular disrespectful and predatory business at all. They make the post office look efficient, courteous, and professional.