JustSheila
Crusader
In response to an Internet ad boasting high exchange rates, last week I contacted OzForex for information, hoping to get a better exchange rate from AUD to USD than my bank was offering.
I filled out a questionnaire of sorts and was told I'd be contacted by one of their reps shortly. That's when things got weird.
OzForex is not a bank, so not subject to the same regulations as banks. It is a private company that somehow or other has managed to get authorization to transfer international sums of money on behalf of companies, individuals and other groups. I wanted to know more about them, how they go about this, why they can offer such amazing rates, how it is they can charge no fees (supposedly) and whether my money was safe with them.
Shortly after filling out the questionnaire, I was bombarded with high pressure emails. Everything had to be done NOW NOW NOW. It was only hours before I received a call from a woman with a California number, who told me she worked for the “Compliance Department” of OzForex.
She was mysterious about how OzForex goes about transferring money. She stealthily evaded my questions. She was obnoxiously arrogant and condescending and demanded I submit documents to them, stating it was required that I submit these documents and if I did not, I could be suspected of terrorist activity. She told me I must submit these and asked intimate questions about my work, my education and my time in the US. She seemed to know nothing at all about my 14 years in Australia yet stated to me in a hateful tone, “I know who you are.”
OzForex wasn't interested in Passport numbers or drivers license numbers, my Australian tax ID or any other vital information that is normally required by banks when one makes large international transfers, oh no. The documents demanded had to contain my CURRENT BANK BALANCES in order to “verify my identity.”
I told Miss Snide Condescending Nasty B from H that I hadn't even decided to use their service, so who was she to order me to submit anything?
More demanding emails. This place just stunk of Scientology tactics, tactics I don't see used outside of Scientology, except by Internet conartists from Africa or India. Hard sell. Veiled Threats. Demands as if I'd already agreed to anything with them. I halfheartedly submitted a couple of documents that didn't show my current balances, then hit a snag when there was an upload limit on their website and I was supposed to submit them another way. Ah, forget it. I went to bed.
Then a letter about how my documents weren't accepted and they didn't know who I was. But didn't Miss California with the veiled threats and demands just tell me in the most hateful way that she knew who I was? I figured she'd found my vids exposing Scn, what else could get that sort of response?
So I wrote back that I couldn't upload all of them and they'd just have to wait till next week, that they needn't worry about terrorism from me since my father was a WWII vet, my family had served in the US Armed Forces for three generations and I'd never been to the Middle East. I was busy.
Then the lovebombing started. Sweet letters. One was even signed “Kind regards” - an Australian salutation that is never used by bankers or accountants or anyone like that. Ick! How unprofessional can you get?
If that weren't enough, then I get a supposed “survey” on whether I was happy with their service?
And more promotional emails. SO so Scientology!
Oh, I answered their survey. I had plenty of helpful suggestions and a lot to say.
I did not receive any letter back, saying they were sorry I had a bad experience, oh no! Instead, they disconnected. Just like Scientologists would do,but not like any normal, self-respecting company with a customer service department. They had no customer service, just “compliance”(ETHICS).
All of this just smacked of Scientology. It was a very bad experience.
As a private company, this place is scarily unprofessional and enjoys intimidating individuals.
Now maybe it was just the woman in the Compliance Office who was the Scientologist, but she had far too much control for me to ever be comfortable with this company and I'd advise everyone to stay away. They operate just like every scamming Scientology organization or WISE Scientology company. Your monies are not insured. They are a private company and can close any time, or share or sell your information to other sources. The veiled threats and intimidation if I didn't supply my current bank balances was just a hair away from blackmail, except I hadn't done anything that could possibly make me a threat. Didn't matter. I was suspicious simply because I had lived in Australia as a permanent resident when I married an Australian. Oh bullshit. They just wanted my money and this was an excuse!
IMHO, you should not trust OzForex. Pay a little more for your money to be safe and stay away from this organization.
I filled out a questionnaire of sorts and was told I'd be contacted by one of their reps shortly. That's when things got weird.
OzForex is not a bank, so not subject to the same regulations as banks. It is a private company that somehow or other has managed to get authorization to transfer international sums of money on behalf of companies, individuals and other groups. I wanted to know more about them, how they go about this, why they can offer such amazing rates, how it is they can charge no fees (supposedly) and whether my money was safe with them.
Shortly after filling out the questionnaire, I was bombarded with high pressure emails. Everything had to be done NOW NOW NOW. It was only hours before I received a call from a woman with a California number, who told me she worked for the “Compliance Department” of OzForex.
She was mysterious about how OzForex goes about transferring money. She stealthily evaded my questions. She was obnoxiously arrogant and condescending and demanded I submit documents to them, stating it was required that I submit these documents and if I did not, I could be suspected of terrorist activity. She told me I must submit these and asked intimate questions about my work, my education and my time in the US. She seemed to know nothing at all about my 14 years in Australia yet stated to me in a hateful tone, “I know who you are.”
OzForex wasn't interested in Passport numbers or drivers license numbers, my Australian tax ID or any other vital information that is normally required by banks when one makes large international transfers, oh no. The documents demanded had to contain my CURRENT BANK BALANCES in order to “verify my identity.”
I told Miss Snide Condescending Nasty B from H that I hadn't even decided to use their service, so who was she to order me to submit anything?
More demanding emails. This place just stunk of Scientology tactics, tactics I don't see used outside of Scientology, except by Internet conartists from Africa or India. Hard sell. Veiled Threats. Demands as if I'd already agreed to anything with them. I halfheartedly submitted a couple of documents that didn't show my current balances, then hit a snag when there was an upload limit on their website and I was supposed to submit them another way. Ah, forget it. I went to bed.
Then a letter about how my documents weren't accepted and they didn't know who I was. But didn't Miss California with the veiled threats and demands just tell me in the most hateful way that she knew who I was? I figured she'd found my vids exposing Scn, what else could get that sort of response?
So I wrote back that I couldn't upload all of them and they'd just have to wait till next week, that they needn't worry about terrorism from me since my father was a WWII vet, my family had served in the US Armed Forces for three generations and I'd never been to the Middle East. I was busy.
Then the lovebombing started. Sweet letters. One was even signed “Kind regards” - an Australian salutation that is never used by bankers or accountants or anyone like that. Ick! How unprofessional can you get?
If that weren't enough, then I get a supposed “survey” on whether I was happy with their service?
And more promotional emails. SO so Scientology!
Oh, I answered their survey. I had plenty of helpful suggestions and a lot to say.
I did not receive any letter back, saying they were sorry I had a bad experience, oh no! Instead, they disconnected. Just like Scientologists would do,but not like any normal, self-respecting company with a customer service department. They had no customer service, just “compliance”(ETHICS).
All of this just smacked of Scientology. It was a very bad experience.
As a private company, this place is scarily unprofessional and enjoys intimidating individuals.
Now maybe it was just the woman in the Compliance Office who was the Scientologist, but she had far too much control for me to ever be comfortable with this company and I'd advise everyone to stay away. They operate just like every scamming Scientology organization or WISE Scientology company. Your monies are not insured. They are a private company and can close any time, or share or sell your information to other sources. The veiled threats and intimidation if I didn't supply my current bank balances was just a hair away from blackmail, except I hadn't done anything that could possibly make me a threat. Didn't matter. I was suspicious simply because I had lived in Australia as a permanent resident when I married an Australian. Oh bullshit. They just wanted my money and this was an excuse!
IMHO, you should not trust OzForex. Pay a little more for your money to be safe and stay away from this organization.
Last edited:
