Gutted for you, but credit card fraud can happen in any country! I`ve used my credit card in Turkey without any problems.

whingebag, thanks for the warning. Glad you were able to prove you were home when the card was being used. Like Louise says can happen in any country,we too have used our credit cards on many occasions in Turkey, but at least now maybe we will be more careful.

Please be very careful if you purchase anything by credit card from this jewellers.

A friend, whose been to Marmaris 8 times, bought some zircon earrings for £51 from Diadem in the bazaar - they also have shops in Uzunyali and Armutalan. She signed the cc slip without any thought and returned to the UK with her new earrings. Imagine her shock when she got home and found that £985.49 had been charged to her cc! The card company had written to her as they were concerned her card had been stolen. Unfortunately as it is her signature on the slip, the card company can do nothing.

£51 is approximately 123YTL and she was charged 2,349YTL!! Had they charged 1,233YTL then you would think that the sales person had entered the last digit twice by mistake - easily done - but the figure they came up with bears no resemblance to the real cost of the earrings. My friend admits she was stupid for not converting the currency in her head and double checking the slip, but I know that a lot of tourists find it confusing and this year is even worse as prices are being quoted in TL and YTL, and both new and old notes are in use. (The old TL ceases to be legal tender as of 1st January 2006).

I live in Marmaris and my friend asked me to contact Diadem to see if they would refund the extra money they charged. The gentleman I've been speaking to said surprise, surprise.... the particular sales person I need is in Izmir. To cut a long story short, they've been giving me the run around. They couldn't find a record of the sale in their books, and then they couldn't find a record of that amount of money going into their account etc. The story changes everytime I speak to them.

I am going to speak to him again later on today but am not holding out much hope. I am not going to leave it at that though. I have several aces up my sleeve, which I can't reveal just yet, but in the meantime I just wanted to make people aware that this is going on and to remind people to be very careful and always check their credit card slips.

Diadem have 3 shops in Marmaris - I wonder just how many other people they've ripped off over the years......

edit to remove personal name Briar

Sorry..... didn't realise we couldn't use names. New to this site! Will remember for next time.....

Jazzythink i'd tell them that you have posted on this site and unless they want to lose lots of new customers you suggest they refund!!! Don't hold out much hope but thanks for the warning. Good luck

omg jazzy what a nightmare,thats nearly a holiday again,i would be so mad if that was me but what can you do,we were dragged into a jewellers in the bazaar and had so many chains around my neck,he wanted us to use a credit card to buy one,my husband didnt intend doing that for that same reason and it looks as though there was a possibility they could have done that,cant remember the name of the place though.They certainly made their money this season out of you.Thing is it makes you wary of using your cc again doesnt it.Hope it all gets sorted out for you

hi, my mum also purchased jewellery from this jewellers-was told her stuff was 14 carat-actaully only 9!she had her ring cut 3 times and its still not right and the diamaond has fell out twice. we had nothing but hassle with them and when we complained they wouldnt do anything and took no notice, this is definately one to avoid!

what can I say.

except I am really surprised at what you have said about this jewellers.

I have been visiting marmaris for the past 4 years.
each time I go I always buy jewellery or have some jewellery either altered or mended.
always from this jewellers & I have nothing but praise for them.
they have always gone out of their way to help.

of course you have to have some idea of the value or you will end up paying well over he odds for things.

but that goes without saying in turkey.. hence the haggling.

I'm not sure what could have gone so wrong in this case.

I can only expect that the owner was away.
I know he visits his wife's family for a few months during the summer, leaves his brother in charge.
maybe he's just got a bad apple working for him......

A very rotten apple if you ask me!. . . . . . I don't know which owner you're referring to as Diadem is run by brothers. I was speaking to the elder one who deals with the accounts. As you seem to know them perhaps you could tell me what happened to their British partner?

Following legal advice we've contacted the head office in Istanbul of their bank and also the f.r.a.u.d dept. of my friend's credit card company and hopefully she'll get her money back.

Perhaps they genuinely know nothing about this credit card problem, but from what I've been hearing there have been a lot of complaints about Diadem this year, and I think it's quite worrying if the owners have no idea what their staff are doing. . . . . . .

hi jazzyzzz,
what a shocking thing to hppen to your friend, is there no way that you could get a copy of the receipt and also her credit card statement and take this to someone at the british embassy and police ( if they are interested ? maybe it would be a good idea if you contacted them first to see what they have to say, best of luck !

Hiya All,

I had my eye on a bracelet in the armatulin branch I am glad I did not purchase it now, knowing others have been ripped off.

wgipk.

I doubt very much that the British Embassy/Consulate would be able to do anything but other authorities (Tax, VAT) have been informed and the tour operators in Marmaris are aware of the situation.

In the meantime if anyone else has had a similar problem with their credit card please tell me about it on the following topic - http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=58009

Hi I also purchased some jewellery from this jewellers (a ring) for YTL600 but my credit card was charged YTL6000 resulting in an overcharge of approx £2300 to my credit card. the credit card company has tranferred the funds even though I disputed the payment within an hour of arriving back in the UK. I was given no terminal receipt and have made numberous telephone calls to Turkeyonly to be told I now need a customs document even though I have checked with Customs & Excise and need nothing. I have since called back , promised a return call within 2 hours as he was going on hoiday and now can get no responce what so ever. Where do I go from here?????

My son-in-law had exactly the same problem in Marmaris Bazaar. Thirteen times the price of a £150 ring charged to his credit card. He is still wrangling with the cc company who appear to be able to do nothing.
It is very wrong that people can get away with this, blatantly ripping people off. Not even just for a few pounds but for massive amounts.

Its a very sad affair that im sure has left a bad taste in the mouth of those that have had a fabulous holiday until they were ripped of by these con merchants. I supose the obvious moral of the story is always pay in cash. I just hope that those who have been conned get some justice/reimbursement!

I've posted some tips here - http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=58009 - on dealing with credit card companies.

Hope this helps.....

Hi there

Sorry to hear about people who have been ripped of by the jewerler in Marmaris.

I was in Marmaris in October and my brother in law always uses Pasha jewerler's over the road from Emre Beach Hotel he has never had any problem's with them

Also i use Golden Baby jewerler's in Icmeler now this year it wouldnt accept my credit card while i was there.

And there let me take the jewerly home and im am paying him next year

I just couldnt believe he was letting me do this and its a few hundred of pounds i owe to.

The reason im telling you this is that not all of them are bad, so i wouldnt let it put any one off in buying from different jewerlers.

Im acually still in shock now that they let me take it and actually pay him the same price as he quoted me this year next year when i go.

Im going to take him a present over with me for doing this but just dont know what to take him

Has any one got any idea's what i can take him?

And i feel so sorry for those who have been over charged this year hope you all get your money back

Maz and Family xx

During the last few years my husband has used our c.c to purchase both jewellery and leather goods. Each time he looks at the c.c slip asks to borrow the assistants calculator enters the exact amount from the slip divides by the exchange rate and if satisfied signs the slip.

Used to think he was a bit over the top but having read these horror stories pleased he did this.

Christine

surely it is up to each individual to check exactly what they are paying before signing any reciept bought thousands of pounds of jewllery in turkey with cash and c/c and have had no trouble