I probably got scammed

[Lorente]

First of all thanks for let me join this great forum.

As I wrote in the title, I think I got scammed: send a 2000 Thailand bath deposit for an apartment, the guy I was talking too disappeared. My check in date is on 3 February, but it's days I don't listen from him. What's the next step? Learn the lesson, forget and check a new apartment? Or report the story at the local police station? Thank you.

[Hummin]

2 000,- or 20 000,- ? 

 

If 2 000,- forget it if you do not know who it is or where he is! Any contact details? Name, copy passport or anything? 

[Elkski]

2000 baht small loss. 20k ouch  And after 3 days no reply find a new deal.

[JingerBen]

Welcome to the forum, Lorente.

Did you get a receipt for your 2000 baht deposit?

If so, you have some basis for legal action.

If not, you should consider it a lesson learned and move on.

Litigation in Thailand is a minefield strewn with banana peels for all but the wealthiest farangs.

Only the lawyers win in the end.

[DrJack54]

16 minutes ago, Lorente said:

As I wrote in the title, I think I got scammed: send a 2000 Thailand bath deposit for an apartment,

Surely 2000 is a typo.

[Lorente]

9 minutes ago, Hummin said:

2 000,- or 20 000,- ? 

 

If 2 000,- forget it if you do not know who it is or where he is! Any contact details? Name, copy passport or anything? 

2000. I have only the transfer done with wise.

[Lorente]

4 minutes ago, JingerBen said:

Welcome to the forum, Lorente.

Did you get a receipt for your 2000 baht deposit?

If so, you have some basis for legal action.

If not, you should consider it a lesson learned and move on.

Litigation in Thailand is a minefield strewn with banana peels for all but the wealthiest farangs.

Only the lawyers win in the end.

Got the receipt done with wise. It's worth going to local police station and fill the complain? Something will happen?

[Hummin]

1 minute ago, Lorente said:

Got the receipt done with wise. It's worth going to local police station and fill the complain? Something will happen?

Call the tourist police and ask them!

[JingerBen]

1 minute ago, Lorente said:

Got the receipt done with wise. It's worth going to local police station and fill the complain? Something will happen?

"Up to you" as the Thais say.

You might get some results if you are persistent.

If it was me, I would let it go for such a trifling amount of money.

[Gottfrid]

25 minutes ago, Lorente said:

2000. I have only the transfer done with wise.

???????? ????????  Man! 2 000 baht, and go to the police? Are you for real? First they will laugh. After that they will want 5 000 baht to find your 2 000 baht. When they find it, they will take 50 % finders fee. But sure, man. Go to the police!

You lost 2 000 baht because of stupidity. You have no address, no phone, or just fake information. You have sent the money to an account in a drunk mans name who is sleeping on the street. He got 200 baht and a bottle of Lao Khao for signing off for the bank account.

Welcome To Thailand!

Edited January 23, 2023 by Gottfrid

[1FinickyOne]

If you are renting based on photos this is probably not a good idea... you must see places in person... 

[stevenl]

16 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

???????? ????????  Man! 2 000 baht, and go to the police? Are you for real? First they will laugh. After that they will want 5 000 baht to find your 2 000 baht. When they find it, they will take 50 % finders fee. But sure, man. Go to the police!

You lost 2 000 baht because of stupidity. You have no address, no phone, or just fake information. You have sent the money to an account in a drunk mans name who is sleeping on the street. He got 200 baht and a bottle of Lao Khao for signing off for the bank account.

Welcome To Thailand!

Sometimes I'm wondering where the nastiness on this forum originates from.

[richard_smith237]

IF you haven’t heard back... its likely you have been scammed. Its 2000 baht so not the end of the world. 

Still very annoying though... It is the principle more than the amount which I imagine cause more annoyance. 

 

Moving forwards you need a plan B...  

Options: 

a) hotel for first few nights and then go looking for a place in person.

b) look online, book to ‘view’ something you like, but don’t put any deposits (lesson learned).

 

 

As far as the scammer (potential) - I’d want revenge, but that depends how much time you want to put into revenge.

 

Realistically its 2000 baht, people will tell you its a valuable lesson...  

You are going to get scammed a lot more if you hand over money this easily from a position of weakness...  so this lesson may have saved you in the long run...  

Edited January 23, 2023 by richard_smith237

[proton]

where did you see this place?

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

Sometimes I'm wondering where the nastiness on this forum originates from.

Some people can’t help themselves...  its in their natural character, then some of us get accused of inflammatory trolling when we call them out and challenge them on their online behaviour....  

 

It seems such remarks are acceptable, but not the general response they garner is not !

 

[CartagenaWarlock]

1 hour ago, Lorente said:

First of all thanks for let me join this great forum.

As I wrote in the title, I think I got scammed: send a 2000 Thailand bath deposit for an apartment, the guy I was talking too disappeared. My check in date is on 3 February, but it's days I don't listen from him. What's the next step? Learn the lesson, forget and check a new apartment? Or report the story at the local police station? Thank you.

Hotels booked using an online portal don't scam people. AirBnb booked though their portal don't scam people. Sending money for a not-seen apartment is height of stupidity. I am not sure why people like to do this. Is it for saving money or showing/bragging how smart they are for getting a box for 5,000 baht and then make videos to announce to the World how cheap they are living in Thailand and calling it a "living in heaven".  Is it the society that we live in where finding cheap places to rent is considered a life achievement.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Lorente said:

2000 Thailand bath deposit for an apartment

I always thought they want a lot more than that.

 

 

[amykat]

“FREE LUXURY”

[FritsSikkink]

How did you find the apartment, on what platform? Do you have any communication and on what medium? Did you get any details about the person's name when you wired the money? 

[spidermike007]

Always rent in person. Always buy in person, if possible, if it is on Facebook, etc. The scammers these days are skillful and know a multitude of tricks, to fool you. 

[Gottfrid]

4 hours ago, stevenl said:

Sometimes I'm wondering where the nastiness on this forum originates from.

It´s not nasty! It´s probably very close to correct. Therefore, it is a foundation for learning.

[edwardandtubs]

Obviously the 2000 baht was not the deposit as such but an advance payment to secure the booking. Agents sometimes ask for this and may use some of the money to clean the place (later refunded by the owner). However, if you tell them you don't want to pay any advance fees but will pay the whole lot on the day you move in, they will usually be happy with this if you've met them in person and they're confident you really are going to move in.

 

Obviously, transfering money to someone on transferwise without being certain who they are is a really stupid thing to do and the best thing to do is learn your lesson and move on.

Edited January 23, 2023 by edwardandtubs

[Mickeymaus]

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I always thought they want a lot more than that.

 

 

This advertisement is against the law in the meantime if I understood this correctly:

 

 

[Lorente]

I got 1000 back, so half of the deposit and he blocked me on the application we talked to. Should I be happy to get, at least half of it, or try to report for the remaining 1000?

[BritManToo]

On 1/23/2023 at 10:38 PM, CartagenaWarlock said:

Is it the society that we live in where finding cheap places to rent is considered a life achievement.

No point in wasting money.

[CartagenaWarlock]

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

No point in wasting money.

People who stay in five star hotels or travel business class are not wasting money. The are enjoying their life with their life achievement. Only two types of people consider wastage of money.
1. Jealous people who can't afford because they have not achieved anything in life except getting a retirement visa in Thailand.

2. People who donate their money to the unfortunates in Thailand every time they rent a cheap place to live Thailand.
Which camp do you belong?