A couple of months ago, I was so angry when Egyptian stores declined to give back change and after writing a viral status about it on Facebook, it turned out that the stores were completely unaware with the problem at hand. It made it just a tiny bit better that the brains behind this act of theft was one that could potentially be fixed.
But what happens when it’s greater than just an individual? When it becomes a policy and people end up making millions just because of the rules they made in their favour? Yesterday, I went to Western Union in the Arab African Bank in New Cairo because my brother in law had sent me a sum of money to pick up.
The money sent was $348.68, but when I came to collect it, I was only given $348. Of course, having been faced with this problem a million times before, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I asked the clerk where the rest of the money was and he so innocently replied that they didn’t give back cents. I told him to give me the equivalent in Egyptian pounds which would make out 5.55 EGP and he said they had a policy not to give out any fractions of money.
A policy, you hear that? So if my brother in law paid that amount and it was received by the bank and refused to be given to me, where does this money go? Imagine how many people from how many countries use Western Union to wire money to Egypt. Imagine how many people are oblivious to the fact that the so called Egyptian “policy” does not return change. Imagine how much money is made per day from a 5 EGP change that is refused to be given to the customer under the pretence of this so called policy.
It’s a fact that we live in a country full of corruption, but how far does the corruption go? Is it on an individual’s level keeping the money in his pocket, on an entire bank’s level stealing from their customers or is it on an international level of Western Union itself setting policies to make more money for itself? Who do we point fingers to? Who is making millions out of our money and doing it right in front of our eyes with not even the slightest sense of guilt.
I’m sick and tired of being conned, mugged and stolen from with every single step I take in this country. Where does it end and how far will it go? The thing that bugs me the most is that I was given a receipt that I had received $348.68. If this so called policy was even slightly correct, wouldn’t they only write $348?
From now on, make sure to tell everyone you know not to send fractions of any currency while wiring money or it will be stolen. But until then, I demand to find out who is stealing out money. If the Arab African Bank and Western Union in Egypt have the guts to set things straight, we expect you to take action immediately or you will forever be labeled as thieves.
WE SAID THIS: It’s time we stand up for our rights and so no to corruption.