Foreigners Allegedly Using Stolen Foreign Credit Cards to Buy Expensive Items in Phuket

[Jimjim1]

3 hours ago, baz69er said:

Cards can be frozen using the credit card or banks app, so im surprised too.....

But if a card that is being used at any point is scimmed and the details put on another card for use by the crook there is no actual card theft and the owner of the original card has no idea his / her card details are being used until the bill arrives, that is the only time the card gets stopped but it is too late then,the only actual saving grace is the spend amount agreed by the bank but there are ways around this for the practiced criminal.

one can only hope that these scumbags get caught quickly and severely dealt with in the country the crime took place and again after deportation to there own country, make them serve two long sentences that should slow them down

[PPGuy]

This is a recent video from a UK YTuber based in Thailand. He had a CC fraud issue.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzfwM3Sg13E

[HuskerDo2]

7 hours ago, steven100 said:

but wouldn't stolen credit cards be cancelled by the owners immediately?  and how exactly did they steal them?   in a bar or where?

"but wouldn't stolen credit cards be cancelled by the owners immediately?"....

 

They would if they knew they were missing. How often does a person check to see if their cc's are still where they left them? Most would assume they haven't been touched.

 

"and how exactly did they steal them?  ".... not sure why that's even relevant.

[NoshowJones]

54 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I bought that much gold with a credit card. They did charge 3%.

I am just starting to buy gold, only last week I asked if I could use my UK or Thai debit card to buy gold and was told cash only. Imagine anyone bringing in over two million baht in cash to buy one of these bigger blocks of gold.

[StayinThailand2much]

2 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Like easy to fix. Just demand ID card and pin for pay with credit cards. If not enough, start work together with the Visa, Mastercard and Amex to check ID number against account holder in a joint database.

I don't use my card for over-the-counter payments in Thailand. But here in Oz/NZ they shove the card reader right under your nose to key in your PIN. Often they don't even ask you whether you want to pay cash.

[StayinThailand2much]

11 minutes ago, HuskerDo2 said:

They would if they knew they were missing. How often does a person check to see if their cc's are still where they left them? Most would assume they haven't been touched.

A woman recently dropped her card right in front of me, and kept walking. Me and another guy had to call loudly to get her attention.

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I am just starting to buy gold, only last week I asked if I could use my UK or Thai debit card to buy gold and was told cash only. Imagine anyone bringing in over two million baht in cash to buy one of these bigger blocks of gold.

I bought with Bitcoin, using my crypto.com card. I got 3% back so didn't mind paying 3%. 

[KannikaP]

2 hours ago, bunnydrops said:

I have never been asked for a pin number when using my card in a store. Would you tell someone your pin number? It is bad enough that the security code is printed on the card.

That security code is only for online purchase verification.

[mran66]

48 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Are you seriously saying this is a screen shot of an ATM screen? With the Start button and all the icons showing? I think it's been doctored.

yeah, photo taken by myself at an ATM when going to withdraw cash, 100% original pic, no edits...actually not even familiar with any photo 'doctoring' softwares. Went to another ATM as this one looked fishy, probably Windows jammed. Made me chuckle though.

 

Actually not the only one I have seen, but no photos of the other incidents. But kind of surprising yes...but if no hab money what can you do!

Edited February 14, 2023 by mran66

[d4dang]

Thai gangs used to hire foreign tourists-usually backpacker types to do card scams in Bangkok promising protection if arrested. After being arrest some would believe their Thai friends would show up at the Police station. They end up at BKK Remand waiting for bail while waiting for trial. As the Police find more evidence of more bogus transactions they add charges for every purchase but slowly so the crims end up with many charges. Every charge requires a trip to court in chains and could mean 3 years on each charge so most catch on and cop a plea to one charge and do about three years. 

These guys look like Euro professionals. They have probably moved on while others sell the goods.

[warrima]

I recall meeting a low life about 15 years ago in coffeeworld on silom one saturday. He was coming in with a load of high end products from powerbuy or robertsons, stashing them there with his mate, then running out and shopping again. 

 

I didn't know at the time but it turned out he was stealing credit cards from people at the airport. His thinking being that if on long haul flights they wouldn't miss their card until they arrived - or even if on the flight there was nothing they could do. So he had a 10 hour window for shopping.  

[Cake Monster]

5 hours ago, jaywalker said:

The banks still operate on Windows 3.1

 

"No hab budget" for upgrade.

 

 

should hab budget with an ATM card renewal per annum at now 300 Baht or near as.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Do they come again from Romania?

Are Romanians 'Asian' as these individuals are?

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Mavideol said:

escape goats????  the foreigners 555

"escape goats????"

What?  Thaivisa posters 555.

[The Theory]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The scam involves the suspects showing fake passports to vendors

Not really stolen cards. It is a scam since they have time to make fake passports with information on cards. 
Perhaps the card reported as lost after fake passports already made. 
more perhaps using genuine passport ????

Edited February 14, 2023 by The Theory

[Liverpool Lou]

52 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

last week I asked if I could use my UK or Thai debit card to buy gold and was told cash only. Imagine anyone bringing in over two million baht in cash to buy one of these bigger blocks of gold.

Imagine anyone not having a phone app that can transfer funds, exactly the same as cash.

[Liverpool Lou]

44 minutes ago, d4dang said:

These guys look like Euro professionals.

The article states that they are Asian.

[Liverpool Lou]

45 minutes ago, warrima said:

I recall meeting a low life about 15 years ago in coffeeworld on silom one saturday. He was coming in with a load of high end products from powerbuy or robertsons, stashing them there with his mate, then running out and shopping again. 

Yeah, right.  Why would he disclose that to a complete stranger in a cafe?

[d4dang]

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

The article states that they are Asian.

oops

[Purdey]

Shocked anyone has a million baht credit on a card. Seems like asking for trouble.

Some companies send you a text message when you use your card so you could cancel immediately if something is wrong.  

i went to Malaysia many years ago and the situation there was so well known the bank called to say they had cancelled my card after returning. A copy could have been used at any time so they said it was better safe than sorry. I agree. 

[Dave0206]

It's 1 thing to steal someone's credit card but he is using my physic in saying that probably half the farangs in Thailand 

[NoshowJones]

23 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Imagine anyone not having a phone app that can transfer funds, exactly the same as cash.

I actually do have a phone app that can transfer funds, and have done so, but when the assistant said cash only, her exact words, I did not look at it like you could use your bank app. Cash only to me means cash over the counter.

I am not saying you are wrong as maybe I will be able to use my bank app though.

[Hugh Jarse]

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Exactly, you'd think if your credit cards went missing they'd report that to the bank immediately to stop and transactions.

Also many stores now need a 4 digit chip and Pin no. Apple do.

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, mran66 said:

yeah, photo taken by myself at an ATM when going to withdraw cash, 100% original pic, no edits...actually not even familiar with any photo 'doctoring' softwares. Went to another ATM as this one looked fishy, probably Windows jammed. Made me chuckle though.

 

Actually not the only one I have seen, but no photos of the other incidents. But kind of surprising yes...but if no hab money what can you do!

Just makes me wonder if that screen is a touch screen.....?

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

That security code is only for online purchase verification.

But you can but all sorts that way, obviously. Hotels, flights, etc etc. I guess one option would be not to allow storage of card details by anyone, given the choice.

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

That security code is only for online purchase verification.

But you can buy all sorts that way, obviously. Hotels, flights, etc etc. I guess one option would be not to allow storage of card details by anyone, given the choice.

[bradiston]

56 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"escape goats????"

What?  Thaivisa posters 555.

Shouldn't that be "escaped goats"?

[maddox41]

I have a  Thai debit card  never use my Home country cards. 

Sounds like the Russians paid a truck load to escape the mother land to evade the war so start stealing cards to live and reap the rewards 

Sad as Phuket is a great place just a shame the tourists and expats are so dodgy living and hiding from something  and we all  know who they are.  

 

[bradiston]

5 minutes ago, maddox41 said:

I have a  Thai debit card  never use my Home country cards. 

Sounds like the Russians paid a truck load to escape the mother land to evade the war so start stealing cards to live and reap the rewards 

Sad as Phuket is a great place just a shame the tourists and expats are so dodgy living and hiding from something  and we all  know who they are.  

 

Where's the reference to Russians in this article?

[MadMuhammad]

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Exactly, you'd think if your credit cards went missing they'd report that to the bank immediately to stop and transactions.

I lost an Amex in Hong Kong a couple years back, immediately notified American Express. Many months later $1500usd of cosmetics pop up in my account purchased in, you know it, HK