I swear this is true

AlterEgo

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Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
Last Saturday we stopped at a Cambio across from the lotteria on Independencia in Santo Domingo. It was about 3 pm and they were about to close. Mr AE changed $1000 and our daughter handed the guy three 100s folded. She doesn’t speak Spanish or know the exchange. We all stayed at a condo at the Malecon Center. On Sunday afternoon she wanted to buy something, and I said she had plenty, because she had over 18,000 pesos. No, she said she had like 6,000. That’s when we realized he gave her 6100 instead of 18,300. We figured it was long gone, but we went back Monday morning to the guy. Mr AE went in and talked to the guy who said he realized that morning that he had extra money, but no clue from where/who. Mr AE came back to the car with 12,200 pesos.

How’s that for a good start to a day/week? Very honest guy who has now earned our business for life. I told daughter to buy a lottery ticket.
 

NanSanPedro

Nickel with tin plating
Apr 12, 2019
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Boca Chica
yeshaiticanprogram.com
Last Saturday we stopped at a Cambio across from the lotteria on Independencia in Santo Domingo. It was about 3 pm and they were about to close. Mr AE changed $1000 and our daughter handed the guy three 100s folded. She doesn’t speak Spanish or know the exchange. We all stayed at a condo at the Malecon Center. On Sunday afternoon she wanted to buy something, and I said she had plenty, because she had over 18,000 pesos. No, she said she had like 6,000. That’s when we realized he gave her 6100 instead of 18,300. We figured it was long gone, but we went back Monday morning to the guy. Mr AE went in and talked to the guy who said he realized that morning that he had extra money, but no clue from where/who. Mr AE came back to the car with 12,200 pesos.

How’s that for a good start to a day/week? Very honest guy who has now earned our business for life. I told daughter to buy a lottery ticket.
Believe it or not that happened to me in Boca Chica a few years ago, except the opposite. I think I changed close to $1000USD and the guy gave me almost double what he should have. Because he went so fast counting, I thought something was up but until I got home and could count it slowly I didn't realize he had made a mistake. I went back and the guy was super grateful, telling me he could have lost his job.
 

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
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There are plenty of honest and hardworking people in the DR, perhaps just sometimes only the negative occurrences gain "media attention" and then it's declared that all Dominicans are thieves and whatnot... Could not be further from the truth... You can find dishonest people in any country...
 

RDKNIGHT

Bronze
Mar 13, 2017
3,122
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Last Saturday we stopped at a Cambio across from the lotteria on Independencia in Santo Domingo. It was about 3 pm and they were about to close. Mr AE changed $1000 and our daughter handed the guy three 100s folded. She doesn’t speak Spanish or know the exchange. We all stayed at a condo at the Malecon Center. On Sunday afternoon she wanted to buy something, and I said she had plenty, because she had over 18,000 pesos. No, she said she had like 6,000. That’s when we realized he gave her 6100 instead of 18,300. We figured it was long gone, but we went back Monday morning to the guy. Mr AE went in and talked to the guy who said he realized that morning that he had extra money, but no clue from where/who. Mr AE came back to the car with 12,200 pesos.

How’s that for a good start to a day/week? Very honest guy who has now earned our business for life. I told daughter to buy a lottery ticket.
yes I agree all Dominicans are not thieves but you still have to double check everything here when it comes to money most of the time people are trying to get over even for 50 pesos makes me sick to my stomach but they're good people I agree with that. happy your daughter got her money back...


my two cents is most folks don't make a lot of money so that's why they are trying to get over if salaries were increased to a livable wage I think the stealing and the connivery would at least cut down 50% of it.
 
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Manuel01

Well-known member
Apr 1, 2009
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Last Saturday we stopped at a Cambio across from the lotteria on Independencia in Santo Domingo. It was about 3 pm and they were about to close. Mr AE changed $1000 and our daughter handed the guy three 100s folded. She doesn’t speak Spanish or know the exchange. We all stayed at a condo at the Malecon Center. On Sunday afternoon she wanted to buy something, and I said she had plenty, because she had over 18,000 pesos. No, she said she had like 6,000. That’s when we realized he gave her 6100 instead of 18,300. We figured it was long gone, but we went back Monday morning to the guy. Mr AE went in and talked to the guy who said he realized that morning that he had extra money, but no clue from where/who. Mr AE came back to the car with 12,200 pesos.

How’s that for a good start to a day/week? Very honest guy who has now earned our business for life. I told daughter to buy a lottery ticket.
WOW
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
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Blue Collar Town in New Jersey
she didn't know the exchange rate? I've never seen a cambio without a posted exchange rate
Sounds More like she handed him $300 USD to change , as AE said ,.
.but the guy gave her change for $100 in error
the shortage would be = to the 12,200 DOP at around 61-1 exchange rate .
Its so large a diff that is does look like human error and not intentional at all ..
 
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CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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Plenty of honest brokers across this country. I know several. Nice to hear Mr. AE did't have to haggle to get the rest of the money she missed.

Good luck with lottery!
 
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chico bill

Silver
May 6, 2016
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Last Saturday we stopped at a Cambio across from the lotteria on Independencia in Santo Domingo. It was about 3 pm and they were about to close. Mr AE changed $1000 and our daughter handed the guy three 100s folded. She doesn’t speak Spanish or know the exchange. We all stayed at a condo at the Malecon Center. On Sunday afternoon she wanted to buy something, and I said she had plenty, because she had over 18,000 pesos. No, she said she had like 6,000. That’s when we realized he gave her 6100 instead of 18,300. We figured it was long gone, but we went back Monday morning to the guy. Mr AE went in and talked to the guy who said he realized that morning that he had extra money, but no clue from where/who. Mr AE came back to the car with 12,200 pesos.

How’s that for a good start to a day/week? Very honest guy who has now earned our business for life. I told daughter to buy a lottery ticket.
He must have known he was on camera?

A Dominican parting with money, and admitting he made a mistake and defrauded a client - I think you found the rarest unicorn.

Buy several lottery tickets - they will all be winners.
 
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chico bill

Silver
May 6, 2016
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I was in the Next Gas Station colmado on the East Side of Sosua. The bill was 680 pesos and I handed the clerk a 1000 pesos and he returned 280.
No being able to do math in my head, as I was educated pre-calculators, I knew my change would be 320.
So I looked at him showed him the factura which also said 320 change and I showed him what he just laid on the counter and said him 'falta cien pesos.' He immediately knew, and from his reaction and no apology I could tell he'd probably gotten away with shorting people before.
Yeah it's not much money but you can expect this occasionally, as it's common. But I've also had the reverse when I had a clerk too much or bills are stuck together.
 
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