Since when did this happen for money exchanging?

[wangta]

I`m back in Japan and while it`s mostly good save for a few downsides of the new job, I can`t believe how authoritarian it is here to just exchange a few hundred dollars in my home country`s money to yen at a bank. I should have done it all at the airport but I was hoping to hold on to some of my own country`s currency.

I took the less than 300 bucks to what is probably the biggest bank in the not very populous part of Japan I am working in although it provides good access thru JR and buses to the big Japanese cities. To my surprise what seemed a resident specialist in forgery wascalled to examine my money and then take my ID away for around 20 minutes. I was told that there was an irregularity in one of the notes and while the person was polite and I can`t say I was made to feel bad, it still seemed very odd that when you go to exchange such a relatively small amount of dollars to yen it becomes a search for fake notes.

The so called irregularity was not as far as I am concerned. I know a fake note from my home country when I see one (I saw one before I came here) and Oz is not noted for producing forgers or forged notes or native Aussies who do that. The note I handed with the others is not fake. The only reason I saw a fake note from my country before I came here was because I know somebody in the police force and certain people from gangs outside Oz have been producing them. All in all it did concern me especially as a ton of paper seemed to be shuffled, and it just all seemed over the top for exchanging money.

Even the authoritarian Koreans who on countless occasions liked to play god with foreigners over trivial stuff never did this to me when I exchanged a few hundred bucks for won. Are these new regulations? Yes I understand money forgery is serious but my country and Korea which loves bureaucracy manage to exchange money without this kind of almost police like behaviour.

[Samurai_Jerk]

It's been that way forever. Ten or so years ago I exchanged USD3000 in travelers checks at a bank in Tokyo. Two people spent nearly 45 min checking each one and duscussing whether or not my second signature done in front of them matched.

[wangta]

Thanks for that. I was a bit worried that they were going to turn around and blame me if it was fake ~ which I don`t think it was. Especially as for some time now banks in Oz have been careful when loading their atms because of the appearance of forged notes in Oz earlier this year. I got that money in May from my financial institution`s atm and without giving away which one it is, believe me it is the last institution you`d expect not to check banknotes.

And having read Chokonen`s limited information giving about the horrorshow that he was involved in thru an evil person, it`s made me kind of uneasy. I am really happy to be back in Japan but those true stories are also very sobering.

[nikoneko]

Go the post office and do it, I exchange money and money orders there all the time and it's mostly painless.

[legion]

It isn't about you or Oz

Attempted fakery is common in Nippon, just look at the government policies

[Russell]

Hmm. Banks in the inaka are not so sophisticated.

Actually, banks in Japan are not so sophisticated...

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

It's been that way forever. Ten or so years ago I exchanged USD3000 in travelers checks at a bank in Tokyo. Two people spent nearly 45 min checking each one and duscussing whether or not my second signature done in front of them matched.

I have just nominated you for Disorder of the Rising Scum, Third Crass, Bukkake and Train Groping Rays for enhancing Japo-Gaijin relations by attempting to cash traveler's checks at a bank in this cuntry. That is a fucking amazing effort and deserves rewarding.

[Samurai_Jerk]

It's been that way forever. Ten or so years ago I exchanged USD3000 in travelers checks at a bank in Tokyo. Two people spent nearly 45 min checking each one and duscussing whether or not my second signature done in front of them matched.

I have just nominated you for Disorder of the Rising Scum, Third Crass, Bukkake and Train Groping Rays for enhancing Japo-Gaijin relations by attempting to cash traveler's checks at a bank in this cuntry. That is a fucking amazing effort and deserves rewarding.

You don't know the half. It was three grand of mostly $20 T/C's and my signature got sloppier and sloppier as my hand got tired so they scrutinized each signature more and more as things went along (I'm not exaggerating then I say they used a magnifying class on some!). You'd think after the first third of the pile they'd realize it was me that had signed them but they did have to follow protocol. I forgot to mention that they were also cross referencing the two signatures on each T/C with the one on my passport.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

It's been that way forever. Ten or so years ago I exchanged USD3000 in travelers checks at a bank in Tokyo. Two people spent nearly 45 min checking each one and duscussing whether or not my second signature done in front of them matched.

I have just nominated you for Disorder of the Rising Scum, Third Crass, Bukkake and Train Groping Rays for enhancing Japo-Gaijin relations by attempting to cash traveler's checks at a bank in this cuntry. That is a fucking amazing effort and deserves rewarding.

You don't know the half. It was three grand of mostly $20 T/C's and my signature got sloppier and sloppier as my hand got tired so they scrutinized each signature more and more as things went along (I'm not exaggerating then I say they used a magnifying class on some!). You'd think after the first third of the pile they'd realize it was me that had signed them but they did have to follow protocol. I forgot to mention that they were also cross referencing the two signatures on each T/C with the one on my passport.

I'm not doubting you in the slightest. In fact, I'm surprised they were so lenient...you can never be too sure when it comes to the matter of what the gaijin filth will try and get away with.

[matsuki]

Last time I was withdrawing money, the bitch at the local branch straight up crossed out my hanko stamp (prefilled everything out) and made me stamp it again in front of her. My boss walked over while I was doing it and asked what was going on....then had the entire branch on their knees apologizing within minutes. I didn't take it as too much of a slight but the boss was like "WTF??!! Is this how you treat your long standing customers?!! You don't trust them to make a withdrawal from their own account?!" Anyhow, if you have an account at the bank, they should never pull that shit with you.

[GomiGirl]

Not sure why the OP exchanged his money at the bank - there are a few money changers around town that give pretty good rates. There is one near the south exit of Shinjuku station - a western union IIRC - that is quick. 20 seconds no muss no fuss.

[yanpa]

Not sure why the OP exchanged his money at the bank - there are a few money changers around town that give pretty good rates. There is one near the south exit of Shinjuku station - a western union IIRC - that is quick. 20 seconds no muss no fuss.

I suspect this might have something to do with it:

the not very populous part of Japan I am working in

[Coligny]

Not sure why the OP exchanged his money at the bank - there are a few money changers around town that give pretty good rates. There is one near the south exit of Shinjuku station - a western union IIRC - that is quick. 20 seconds no muss no fuss.

Works both ways...

why not exchanging money at the bank... It's not too much of an original place to handle money matters... plus usually they give you clean new bills... and have their own parking if you go by car...

also:

I took the less than 300 bucks to what is probably the biggest bank in the not very populous part of Japan I am working in

In the sticks they might even think you have to exchange currency in order to buy stuff between kens...

[canman]

This is not about changing money, but my wife got a call the other day from our bank informing her that we haven;t updated our personal information in a long time, and that they require copies of both our drivers licenses, and a copy of my Residency card! Is this something that only happens in buttfuck inaka, or do banks in Tokyo or other places also require this stuff. Seems a bit much to me!

[Yokohammer]

This is not about changing money, but my wife got a call the other day from our bank informing her that we haven;t updated our personal information in a long time, and that they require copies of both our drivers licenses, and a copy of my Residency card! Is this something that only happens in buttfuck inaka, or do banks in Tokyo or other places also require this stuff. Seems a bit much to me!

Is that a Ginko or a Shinkin?

Either way, I'd tell 'em to get stuffed. I've never heard of anything like that in more than 40 years here.
(Chances are they lost your info, or something equally incompetent, in which case the onus is on them to explain and apologize profusely ... and come to your place to get the info rather than forcing you to go to them. Of course beware of scams ... call the bank from your end to confirm.).

[matsuki]

This is not about changing money, but my wife got a call the other day from our bank informing her that we haven;t updated our personal information in a long time, and that they require copies of both our drivers licenses, and a copy of my Residency card! Is this something that only happens in buttfuck inaka, or do banks in Tokyo or other places also require this stuff. Seems a bit much to me!

Is that a Ginko or a Shinkin?

Either way, I'd tell 'em to get stuffed. I've never heard of anything like that in more than 40 years here.
(Chances are they lost your info, or something equally incompetent, in which case the onus is on them to explain and apologize profusely ... and come to your place to get the info rather than forcing you to go to them. Of course beware of scams ... call the bank from your end to confirm.).

Yoko's right...that sounds like a scam. Even if it is your bank, as Yoko said, tell em to fuck off. (that being said, I think I've been asked to fill out (update my info) a new info sheet at the dentist every time I go for cleaning....I think they just want to kill time, nothing has changed.

[matsuki]

Can anyone tell me when the daily withdrawal limit for foreign bank cards at ATMs was reduced to 100,000?? Used to be able to take out up to 300,000 a day....now at both 7-11 and postal ATMs, the limit on the screen is 100,000 daily.

[canman]

The last time my sister was here, she was only allowed to withdraw Y50000 from the post office ATM, in a 24 hour period. But up here in Aomori, it is our only way to withdraw from a foreign bank.

[Samurai_Jerk]

The last time my sister was here, she was only allowed to withdraw Y50000 from the post office ATM, in a 24 hour period. But up here in Aomori, it is our only way to withdraw from a foreign bank.

The post office limit is also supposed to be 100,000 yen. Are you sure the limit wasn't coming from her bank?

[matsuki]

The last time my sister was here, she was only allowed to withdraw Y50000 from the post office ATM, in a 24 hour period. But up here in Aomori, it is our only way to withdraw from a foreign bank.

The post office limit is also supposed to be 100,000 yen. Are you sure the limit wasn't coming from her bank?

It weird, I used to be able to withdraw up to 500,000 per day from the same account but I can only get 100,000 from either the post office or 7-11. (I tried both the same day and it denied me) I called the bank and they claim the restriction isn't on their side.

[Samurai_Jerk]

The last time my sister was here, she was only allowed to withdraw Y50000 from the post office ATM, in a 24 hour period. But up here in Aomori, it is our only way to withdraw from a foreign bank.

The post office limit is also supposed to be 100,000 yen. Are you sure the limit wasn't coming from her bank?

It weird, I used to be able to withdraw up to 500,000 per day from the same account but I can only get 100,000 from either the post office or 7-11. (I tried both the same day and it denied me) I called the bank and they claim the restriction isn't on their side.

Yeah, I know that changed. I was talking about canman's sister's case.

[kurogane]

The last time my sister was here, she was only allowed to withdraw Y50000 from the post office ATM, in a 24 hour period. But up here in Aomori, it is our only way to withdraw from a foreign bank.

The post office limit is also supposed to be 100,000 yen. Are you sure the limit wasn't coming from her bank?

The most I could get out yesterday was about 95,000 because the CAD has tanked and my Cdn bank daily WD limit is $1200, so you have to do fuzzy arithmetic to max out each WD to the Cdn limit. If that makes sense. Perhaps Canman's sister has a lower daily WD limit? Or did it actually say there was a 50,000 yen limit? On the PO screen here (Okinawa) it clearly says 100,000 yen per WD.

My money says it's an anti-fraud security measure.

[canman]

I guess it could have been something to do with her bank in Canada, I didn't make the transaction, so I'm not sure what the ATM said, she only claimed it would allow her Y50 000 a day. Which was a bit of a pain, since it would be much easier to make one transaction and save the service charges, but now 7/11 has finally come to Aomori prefecture, I'm hoping to use their ATM in the future.

[kurogane]

I seem to remember having to twist some arms to get my daily limit raised to $1200 CAD, so perhaps her daily limit is about $750 CAD..........which would be about 50,000 yen, though I would be surprised if the machine told her that was the maximum. Since I know my CAD limit I have to guesstimate the maximum amount of yen I can take out without the exchange rate pushing it over the CAD 1200 limit. If I estimate too high and exceed the $1200 limit it causes the ATM to reject the transaction. FYI, if the Jpn PO ATM does reject the transaction it says on the slip that my CDN financial institution has declined the transaction, which is why I think it's that daily limit thing that might be the problem. I totally get the desire to limit the number of transactions to lessen fees; that's what I do too.

As an idea, if she kept the ATM slip take a look at it, and if she didn't get her to next time. It should have some clues on it.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Oh, great. Here's the fallout from that ATM heist last month that Russell made a post about in another thread.

Bank loses $16.5M to fake ATM cards at 7-Eleven stores

Japanese banks that lost some 1.8 billion yen ($16.5 million) when fake overseas cards were used at convenience store ATMs are scrambling to combat such fraud.

Seven Bank, which operates ATMs in the 7-Eleven convenience store chain, halved its withdrawal limit to 50,000 yen from 100,000 yen for customers using non-Japanese cards. E-net, a joint-banking service whose members include national and regional banks, reduced its withdrawal limit to 40,000 yen from the previous 200,000 yen for non-Japanese cards.

[wagyl]

Ready for the impulse-buying tourist boom in the cash-is-king economy!
How many washlets can you buy for 40,000?

[Samurai_Jerk]

Ready for the impulse-buying tourist boom in the cash-is-king economy!
How many washlets can you buy for 40,000?

And good luck getting together enough cash for dinner at a decent sushi restaurant.

[Mike Oxlong]

Ready for the impulse-buying tourist boom in the cash-is-king economy!
How many washlets can you buy for 40,000?

And good luck getting together enough cash for dinner at a decent sushi restaurant.

It's part of the yokoso japan omotenashi campaign leading up to the 2020 orimpikusu.

[matsuki]

No worries, we'll just use credit cards....wait what? Cash onreee?!!!

[Samurai_Jerk]

No worries, we'll just use credit cards....wait what? Cash onreee?!!!

Ready for the impulse-buying tourist boom in the cash-is-king economy!
How many washlets can you buy for 40,000?