"do You Know Where To Change Money?" Scam?

[glossolalia]

Three times now (once on Sukhumvit, once on Ekkamai, once on Thonglor) I've been in a store or restaurant, and a man has rushed in, seemingly very confused and out of breath, and asked me (farang) "Do you know where to change money around here?"

It's been the same man. I think he's Thai, but tries to look and sound Japanese.

Every time, I said no I don't, as many times as he insisted and asked. The last time, I think he realized I'd seen him twice already, and cut the pitch short and quickly left.

I wonder what the scam is. I am guessing he offers the mark some money to do the changing for him later, and the Yen or USD or whatever he gives them are fake? Any other scam you could think of?

[Mr_Dave]

Three times now (once on Sukhumvit, once on Ekkamai, once on Thonglor) I've been in a store or restaurant, and a man has rushed in, seemingly very confused and out of breath, and asked me (farang) "Do you know where to change money around here?"

It's been the same man. I think he's Thai, but tries to look and sound Japanese.

...

I wonder what the scam is. I am guessing he offers the mark some money to do the changing for him later, and the Yen or USD or whatever he gives them are fake? Any other scam you could think of?

...Thanks, Glossolalia, for posting about that.

...I've never seen or read about that scam before, but it certainly has all the ingredients:

- A stranger approaches you in a public place.

- He is in a rush.

- Money is involved.

...Very good to know about this one.

...Also interesting that he approaches a you, a farang, apparently speaking in English.

In a real emergency/rush, its difficult to imagine any Thai or Japanese asking for assistance from a farang!