Thread: Exchanging Currency
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10-08-12 18:55 #575
Posts: 552
Venues: 8The most I've changed on Florida is around $1000 USD as well. It does seem to kind of be a comfort number for me as well. However, it's so easy to do (I live close by) that I don't feel the need to change great amounts at one time anyway. Mostly I use a cueva where I wire money to an account in the States or Uruguay and go pick up the cash here locally.
I've heard stories about people getting ripped off after leaving cuevas or arbolitos, about people getting handed a wad of counterfeits, etc, etc. Seems most of these stories are not very substantiated. They come under the heading of "everyone knows." or "you always hear about." Me, I've never had a single issue or felt even a little worried and I've changed on Florida at times over 6 years living here full time.
Having said all of that, I do know personally one story of a gentleman (related to me and others who know him, in person) who lived here for decades and about a year ago moved back to his home country, who was robbed after having wired money to a change house / cueva when he went to pick up the cash. He was robbed of a serious sum of money after he left the cueva. He was in his own car, and the suspicion was that a secretary in the office alerted someone to follow him on leaving (there is some very strong circumstantial evidence to support the notion, which I will not go into here). The sum of money was somewhere in the neighborhood of $25K pesos.
This is the only nearly-confirmed story of someone being robbed by an employee alerting a thief that I know of.
I mention that only because the possibility does exist. However, I have to say. You probably have as much or more potential to be robbed leaving an ATM in broad daylight as you do being robbed leaving an arbolito on Florida. Or leaving More Money Transfers on having used Xoom to send your money.
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10-08-12 18:38 #574
Posts: 3510Everyone has their own comfort level but mine was $1000. I felt like beyond that point, any potential improvement in the exchange rate was more than offset by the additional risk. You might want to take a wingman with you. You might want to splurge on a taxi although I sure as fuck never did. It depends on if you are 5'2" and 50kg or 6'7" and 150kg, and whether you are willing to resist. You can argue all day about whether resisting is a good idea or not but I am sure as fuck going to. So that might make the risk of robbery less and the risk of getting shanked or greased somewhat greater.
Thieves are wise to money belts so my money is taped inside of my sock. Even if they get the shoe off, they'll have a hard time with the tape and meanwhile I will hit them upside the fucking head with a brick.
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10-08-12 15:02 #573
Posts: 36Calle Florida
What is the maximum amount of USD to exchange in one go? Would it be risky to carry 2000 USD on Calle Florida? I mean, is there a risk that the people in the cuevas will tip off some of their friends, and then you get robbed on the way back to your apartment? Should I wear a money belt etc, or am I just being overly paranoid?
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10-02-12 20:16 #572
Posts: 2470Originally Posted by Daddy Rulz [View Original Post]
I could be wide of the mark as well, but I'm betting Xoom is super sensitive about laundering issues, particularly here in the cradle.
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10-02-12 19:51 #571
Posts: 2808Xoom issues
I'm not a banker nor do I play one on TV but this is what it smells like to me. Obviously somebody in government is getting wind of this. They can't really stop it because the real transfer of money is happening outside of Argentina and Xoom is only the people furnishing the cash for a service fee but CFK and Co. Know we are beating the official rate and I think they are putting pressure on Casa More to make it harder. Whatever coyma they are paying is enough to keep them in biz but not trouble free.
I could be wide of the mark here but this is my best guess.
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10-02-12 19:07 #570
Posts: 428Read my Xoom saga going back to aug in this thread if you got time to kill waiting for some chica to travel to your place.
You are just starting the first of many walls Xoom and More Casa puts up. All can be overcome but it's a hassle for sure
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10-02-12 18:30 #569
Posts: 1099Changing money at Xoom is not a exiting experience by any measure
Mongers,
I changed money at xoom for the 2nd time today. First time was just a "test" run. Today was changing for real need.
The xoom transaction online went fairly well and was approved within 4-5 hours with no paper work submission.
However, at "Money & More" counter at Libertad, it was quite a odyssey.
When I reached the Money / more counter at libertad, their were only 3 people ahead of me. But when I was done, their were at least 15 people awaiting behind me!
The guy took almost 45 minutes with me. Asked me so many questions. Believe me, I never had to answer so many questions even at US immigration or for a job interview in my life! It was like I was standing in the court for a criminal case and undergoing severe interrogation by the public prosecutor!
Questions were like " which company you work for ","what is the company's address and phone no"," what is the company's website","what are you doing in ARgentina"," Till how long you would be here"," why are you on such a long trip in Argentina"," are you single or married"."How many times a year you come to Argentina" " How many transfers you plan to make further via xoom"," why don't you use your debit card, why use money / more" " do you have another means of I'd other than your passport" etc etc etc.
It was not very pleasant. Everybody knows they are giving a blue rate (though not necessarily the best rate). I got a difference of 450 pesos, had I us$ and changed us$ directly in a cueva as compared to them!
And worse thing was to see so many people awaiting behind me! I wonder if all will go through the similar ordeal.
My first xoom transaction was on 10th Aug for 500 us$ and had gone super smooth. I was in and out of the place in like 3 minutes. But today was really horrible. What are they trying to achieve? Not sure!
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10-01-12 20:26 #568
Posts: 428Update. Got past this latest hurdle step today and More Casa cleared me for continued txns and released the txn I was blocked from picking up last Friday. Until whatever next tier I hit I imagine. Argh!
'Soporte el fondos' requirement after hitting 50k pesos grand total was thankfully passed with just a copy of my current bank statement. PDF download from my online account. They took, scanned and made copy to send into their home office then some upper level guy aside from the normal clerks reviewed my statement and passed me. Took an extra 20 min from usual process.
Originally Posted by Mpexy [View Original Post]
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10-01-12 17:02 #567
Posts: 267Originally Posted by Member #2041 [View Original Post]
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09-29-12 11:03 #566
Posts: 267Originally Posted by SunSeeker [View Original Post]
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09-29-12 10:58 #565
Posts: 488Xoom rates
Looks like the xoom rate is lower than the local cuevas. Even before their fees.
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09-28-12 20:52 #564
Posts: 428Xoom saga update- More Casa hassle
All my prior posts outlines each specific hassle / verification step imposed by either Xoom or by More Casa the pickup vendor.
This time it was More Casa (again). No matter being cleared by Xoom for higher send limits and being under cap just fine right now, More Casa told me today couldn't pickup my 1k send txn because I now have to prove that I own the sending bank account.
They told me this triggers when anyone hits 50k pesos total sent through More Casa. Didn't say time period mattered, just overall total.
So the demand now is I bring actual paper print out. Said would not accept email or PDF or digital copy- of my bank statement showing official bank statement form and at least one month worth of transactions showing the Xoom debits going from my account.
Have the prints now after hassle finding locutorio to make prints and waiting till mon when More Casa opens again. Knowing Argie logic they will say my bank txn amt doesn't match the More txn amount (because my bank will show $1030 deducted inc Xoom fee while More shows only $1000.
Will see how it goes mon but heads up if you will, be using Xoom mid to long term, new hassle trigger for this step hits at 50k pesos total via More Casa
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09-28-12 17:47 #563
Posts: 823Got 6. 2:1 this afternoon for 2k US
Originally Posted by SunSeeker [View Original Post]
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09-28-12 16:36 #562
Posts: 488Cervino cueva 6. 1
Got 6. 1 to 1 at the cervino cueva an hour ago. 10x$50=$500 USD
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09-28-12 12:50 #561
Posts: 2808Yes I did
Originally Posted by Chicago Guy [View Original Post]
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