SOURCE: Pattaya people: February 13th 2007

Woman is Victim of a Bamboozle Scam

On the 12th of February at 8.30pm a Thai woman Mrs. Kammual Toomong, aged 46, entered Dongtan Police Station in a state of confusion to report that she had been drugged and deceived by 3 men and a woman.

She lost 600,000 Baht in cash and 3 Baht weight gold bracelet.

Mrs. Kammual told Police that she has a house at Wannathip 6 Villas where the said group went to see her and told her that they wanted to buy a house in the complex and wished to see an example house, so she called to the project manager. Whilst waiting for the manager, the group asked her to enter her house to look inside which she allowed.

The group made conversation with her until the manager came and the example house had been showed.

The group persuaded her to co-invest in the house and an agreement was to be made at Chomtalay Tang-gay Bungalow on Jomtien Beach but on the way to the bungalow she was offered a drink and was told to withdraw money for the deposit. Even though she was confused she still made a withdrawal of 600,000 Baht at the Bangkok Bank.

When arrived at the bungalow one of them told her that he had a meeting and asked her to wait with other group members for 2 hours. During which she was persuaded to gamble, which she did until her money ran out. She was told to deposit her gold bracelet to carry on gambling which she did and soon all was lost.

When she recovered from her ‘drugged’ confusion she realized she had been bamboozled and then went to the Police Station.

Police went to the bungalow but after questioning the manager and staff, it appeared that the gang checked in for only one night so they could not remember anything.

Police investigation continues.

Withdrew 600K ?

Is she related to Hans Christian Andersen?

As Rush Limbaugh would say.."This sounds like (B)arbara (S)treisand"

Gamblers say the darndest things when they lose

Sounds a little far-fetched. Strangers you've met just an hour or two earlier convince you to go partners in buying a house, and you agree to travel to a rented bungalow to sign an agreement, all within a couple hours of meeting these people ?

She's lucky they didn't "make" her put up the deed to her own house as collateral, after losing all that cash and gold bracelet !

Wasn't it PT Barnum that said: "There's a fool born every minute...............and two to take him"

Guess that's a syndrome that's world-wide.