Scam or Not?

[Lee4Life]

I live in a border town in Isaan, today I was at the local Tesco and just after using the ATM to make a withdrawal I was approached by a middle aged foreign woman, she asked if I spoke English and then proceeded to tell me she was an Australian tourist on her way from Bangkok to Laos and the group she was with had over-nighted in our town the previous night before crossing the border. She said she had come to Tesco to use the ATM before crossing the border and the ATM had impounded her ATM card, she stated she had called the emergency number on the ATM machine and they were of no help.

                              Then she called her bank and they told her that her card had been locked and impounded due to a fraud alert and they would send her a new card that would arrive the next day. She stated that she had no money for anything and couldn't pay even for another night at the hotel and was looking for someone who could help her. I told her that if she explained to the Hotel staff what had happened it was very likely they would allow her to stay until she receives her new ATM card, to which her reply was that she didn't even have enough money to get a ride back there. I then asked her if she had a working phone, she replied that she did, so I suggested she call the Tourist Police and they would assist her. Then she said, "so you're not going to help me?" to which I began to reply that I would like to help, but her story has become a popular way to scam people out of money, and though I would like to believe her she is a complete stranger to me. But once I got the word scam out she walked off and commented loudly over her shoulder, "You don't need to explain!"

              Here is what stood out to me: I was approached immediately after using the ATM to withdraw money, it was a story I had heard of others being scammed by, and the thought came to my mind that if I were traveling from Bangkok to Laos I would definitely have withdrawn adequate funds before beginning the trip just in case there was a problem. While I don't feel good about not helping her, there were just too many red flags. What would you have done? Given her money or not?

[Chris Daley]

Tourists can not have a Thai ATM card.

[Tropicalevo]

27 minutes ago, Lee4Life said:

What would you have done? Given her money or not?

Not.

Well done.

[CharlieH]

Similar scam reported in news articles if memory serves. If it looks and walks like a duck it probably is.

 

Follow your gut.

[Swiss1960]

You were nice explaining different options, but not giving her money was also the right decision 

[scubascuba3]

13 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

Tourists can not have a Thai ATM card.

of course they can

[scubascuba3]

Usually you can tell if they look a little disheveled, sounds like a lie

[Swiss1960]

14 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

Tourists can not have a Thai ATM card.

OP didn't write about a Thai ATM card, you're making things up.

[ezzra]

Right or wrong, you went with your gut's feelings and it's done now, that would be another of life's lessons i guess...

[FritsSikkink]

Scam

[Jack Cook]

I got the same story BS from a woman at terminal 21 in Bangkok about 6 months ago. 100% scam.

[Moonlover]

The most obvious clue that clearly says that this was a scam was that she said the following:

 

1 hour ago, Lee4Life said:

Then she called her bank and they told her that her card had been locked and impounded due to a fraud alert and they would send her a new card that would arrive the next day.

That quite simply would not happen. If it was a Thai ATM card she would have to go to her bank branch and collect the card. If it was issued by a bank from abroad, they would only send it, if at all, to her registered address. Either way it would definitely not 'arrive the next day'.

 

Yes, this was, without doubt a scam attempt.

 

 

[ColeBOzbourne]

An English lady gave me the same story, then a month later I saw her try it on another man. Not bashful at all, more like she was entitled to my money. She turned nasty quick when things didn't go her way. 

[steven100]

you are certainly more understanding than me .....

 

as soon as she approached ...  I would have said  '  go away '  ..............   end of story 

 

 

 

I've been in Thailand long enough to know not to trust anyone, foreign or local. 

[Furioso]

99% a scam because she approached you as you withdrew money at ATM. She knew you couldn't use the common excuse "I'm sorry I don't have any money".

 

That was awesome you steered her to the tourist police, I'm going to use this next time someone tries to scam me. 

[riclag]

This happened to me with my Bangkok bank debit card!

The atm machine kept my card!

i make a habit of only using 

atm’s at the Bank and inquired .
They said the card needed to be updated lol!

[riclag]

About 20 years ago my brother and i

were visiting in the Dominican Republic and the atm impounded his card.

It was Sunday so the bank was closed.

The next day we went back and stood in line waiting for the bank to open .
He got his card back ! I forget what excuse they gave him.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Chris Daley said:

Tourists can not have a Thai ATM card.

Who said that she had a Thai card?

[Photoguy21]

1 hour ago, Chris Daley said:

Tourists can not have a Thai ATM card.

Where does it say she had a Thai ATM card? You can use ATM cards from other countries in a Thai bank ATM.

[Georgealbert]

This sounds like a scam.

 

Been approached a few times in similar fashion in Pattaya, I just say sorry, bye and walk away.

[Liverpool Lou]

35 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

If it was issued by a bank from abroad, they would only send it, if at all, to her registered address.

If she was genuine, her foreign bank may well have expressed a new card to her Thai address if she had been left in dire straits due to the bank's cancelling her card.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Lee4Life said:

I told her that if she explained to the Hotel staff what had happened it was very likely they would allow her to stay until she receives her new ATM card,

Apart from to get her out of your hair, why on earth would you tell her that load of cobbler's?  "No card, no cash, and no indication that you'll be able to pay the bill?   Yes, welcome, would you like the Presidential Suite?"

 

1 hour ago, Lee4Life said:

so I suggested she call the Tourist Police and they would assist her

Apart from to get her out of your hair, why on earth would you tell her that load of cobbler's?  How would they help?  The TP are like embassies, they're not there to hand out money to penniless tourists.

 

But, no, I probably wouldn't have given her anything significant, either.

[jvs]

She said she was part of a group?

Let them take care of her,SCAM!

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Lee4Life said:

she was an Australian tourist on her way from Bangkok to Laos and the group she was with had over-nighted in our town the previous night before crossing the border.

I wonder why "her friends in the group" didn't want to assist her for one day but were happy to leave her to beg on the streets?

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, Lee4Life said:

I live in a border town in Isaan, today I was at the local Tesco and just after using the ATM to make a withdrawal I was approached by a middle aged foreign woman, she asked if I spoke English and then proceeded to tell me she was an Australian tourist on her way from Bangkok to Laos and the group she was with had over-nighted in our town the previous night before crossing the border. She said she had come to Tesco to use the ATM before crossing the border and the ATM had impounded her ATM card, she stated she had called the emergency number on the ATM machine and they were of no help.

                              Then she called her bank and they told her that her card had been locked and impounded due to a fraud alert and they would send her a new card that would arrive the next day. She stated that she had no money for anything and couldn't pay even for another night at the hotel and was looking for someone who could help her. I told her that if she explained to the Hotel staff what had happened it was very likely they would allow her to stay until she receives her new ATM card, to which her reply was that she didn't even have enough money to get a ride back there. I then asked her if she had a working phone, she replied that she did, so I suggested she call the Tourist Police and they would assist her. Then she said, "so you're not going to help me?" to which I began to reply that I would like to help, but her story has become a popular way to scam people out of money, and though I would like to believe her she is a complete stranger to me. But once I got the word scam out she walked off and commented loudly over her shoulder, "You don't need to explain!"

              Here is what stood out to me: I was approached immediately after using the ATM to withdraw money, it was a story I had heard of others being scammed by, and the thought came to my mind that if I were traveling from Bangkok to Laos I would definitely have withdrawn adequate funds before beginning the trip just in case there was a problem. While I don't feel good about not helping her, there were just too many red flags. What would you have done? Given her money or not?

 

Absolutely not, first of all I don't do guilt, so no matter what she says, it would not have made me feel guilty. Secondarily, I don't trust the word of strangers, very rarely can strangers be counted upon. I'm not opposed to helping a stranger out from time to time, but when one asks for money I have to question where they are coming from and whether or not they're real, and usually I go with my instincts which tells me they're not. 

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

1 hour ago, Chris Daley said:

Tourists can not have a Thai ATM card.

of course they can

If they have Thai bank account.

[OneMoreFarang]

Let's assume for a moment that her story was true.

 

Does she have a credit card?

If no, then she shouldn't travel.

If yes, then she can use that one - even if she doesn't have the physical card. Just call i.e. AMEX and they sort is out.

 

And obviously it's not your job to help strange women.

[scubascuba3]

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

If they have Thai bank account.

Get one

[OneMoreFarang]

What just crossed my mind:

 

If I would be a woman without money in a foreign country, who would I approach to help me? Another woman? Or a man?

I am pretty sure most women would approach other women if they need help.

And if they don't want help but scam someone? Then they would obviously look for men.

[StayinThailand2much]

2 hours ago, Lee4Life said:

What would you have done? Given her money or not?

 

Both, her story, as well as her behaviour point to an obvious scam. Would you give a scammer your money?