Scam or Not?

[ChaiyaTH]

I would tell her i help and start with going together on grab taxi to her hotel, im sure she would refuse.

[Woof999]

You're in SE Asia. If you need to ask whether it is scam or not, you don't need to ask whether it is a scam or not.

[Liverpool Lou]

27 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

34 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

If they have Thai bank account.

Get one

Got a few already, thanks.

[vangrop]

I would not help her. Everything smells scam. The best part is she is in an hotel and the bank could send her a new card the next day. To which adress???????

[JimTripper]

I can give you a ride back to the hotel. If no, it's a scam.

Edited December 7, 2023 by JimTripper

[jaywalker2]

Scam. Cards aren't impounded over a fraud alert. They're locked down. You call up the bank and they'll unlock it. This scam has been running a long time. It used to be, "I was taking the bus to so and so and all my belongings were stolen. Can you help me out?" The funniest scam was the Indian guy who used to walk around with a bag of urine strapped to him asking for money so he could buy his medications.

 

If she were really in trouble, why wouldn't she contact her relatives back home and have them wire her some money? Why go around asking complete strangers?

[Enoon]

2 hours 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?

 

I would have suggested that she talk to one of the people from her tour group after she had walked back to the hotel.

 

They have a closer relationship to her than I do.

 

No I would not have given her money.

 

 

[jvs]

7 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I can give you a ride back to the hotel. If no, it's a scam.

Only if she is really cute.

[Walker88]

Ask to see her passport, take a photo of it, tell her you're reporting her to the police, and that scamming in Thailand is a capital offense punishable by hanging.

 

If she starts crying, maybe it's not a scam. If she bolts out the door...scam.

[NoDisplayName]

2 hours ago, Lee4Life said:

....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

 

2 hours ago, Lee4Life said:

she had come to Tesco to use the ATM before crossing the border

 

2 hours ago, Lee4Life said:

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

 

Scam.

 

Others in her alleged tour group would help her.

Nobody gets money from an ATM just before crossing the border.

Foreign banks won't normally send a card to random foreign address, shirley, not the next day.

 

Next time, offer to call the real police.  Not that they'd actually respond, or be willing or able to help, but to see her response.

 

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

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

 

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

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.

Dream on! Even if her bank was that cooperative, there's no way they could deliver a new card in 24 hours.

 

Banks do not manufacture the cards themselves. Once a replacement card had been authorised they would have to pass on the instructions to their supplier to have card made and delivered to the bank for forwarding. No way could they do all that in 24 hours.

[BritManToo]

54 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

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

I wouldn't give a western woman money, legit or not.

[Lucky Bones]

I would have wished her well and gone to the pub.....alone.🙃🙃

[Sandboxer]

Best reply: "Of course I'll help, baby - just get in my van and I'll take you back to the hotel. It's that Hiace over there with the blacked out windows^^..."

 

Or (said with a deep whispering voice and s**t eating grin) "You know they will never hear your screams?"

 

And seriously, the last tourist nationality I'd be willing to help out is an Aussie in LOS. Annoying lot generally.

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Sandboxer

[bignok]

10 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Best reply: "Of course I'll help, baby - just get in my van and I'll take you back to the hotel. It's that Hiace over there with the blacked out windows^^..."

 

Or (said with a deep whispering voice and s**t eating grin) "You know they will never hear your screams?"

 

And seriously, the last tourist nationality I'd be willing to help out is an Aussie in LOS. Annoying lot generally.

 

You wouldn't say that. Only in your dreams.

[chuang]

SCAM 😯

[HighPriority]

She obviously wasn’t hot …

Edited December 7, 2023 by HighPriority

[riclag]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I wouldn't give a western woman money, legit or not.

Not even her?

 

[bignok]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I wouldn't give a western woman money, legit or not.

True. I would tell her to piss off

Edited December 7, 2023 by bignok

[bignok]

8 minutes ago, riclag said:

Not even her?

 

Only for sex

 

[it is what it is]

7 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

Tourists can not have a Thai ATM card.

 

how do you know she was a tourist?

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, vangrop said:

I would not help her. Everything smells scam. The best part is she is in an hotel and the bank could send her a new card the next day. To which adress???????

To whichever address she gives the bank as it's an emergency situation, allegedly. caused by the bank.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

Dream on! Even if her bank was that cooperative, there's no way they could deliver a new card in 24 hours.

 

Banks do not manufacture the cards themselves. Once a replacement card had been authorised they would have to pass on the instructions to their supplier to have card made and delivered to the bank for forwarding. No way could they do all that in 24 hours.

Been dreaming?  I didn't say that the whole exercise could be done in 24 hours. Delivery of the card could be.

 

You're thinking of credit cards, I think, something the OP did not mention.   Banks do keep stocks of debit cards for immediate use that do not require authorisation before issuance as a credit card would.  

Edited December 7, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[swm59nj]

After only hearing the beginning of her story.  I would have said sorry and ignored her

[Iron Tongue]

10 hours ago, riclag said:

Not even her?

 

Oh no no no!

She look like dis now in beach wear

 

[ThaiFelix]

18 hours ago, Swiss1960 said:

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

Well what did you expect him to bloody do, read the whole article? sheeeesh!

[ThaiFelix]

17 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Does she have a credit card?

If no, then she shouldn't travel.

What?  Im 72 years old and have been travelling since my mid 20's but have NEVER EVER had a credit card and have never ever had any problems from not having one.  I am amazed at the comments people make about not being able to book a hotel, a flight or hire a car etc if you dont have a credit card ?  Where does this nonsense come from?

[Grumpy one]

Some of these middle aged and well used tarts have to get money from some place, why not hit up a fellow farang 

[rwill]

About 10 years ago I lost an ATM card in a machine.  It was at an SCB branch.  I went inside and told them.  They were kind enough to close the machine down and open it up to check and retrieve the card for me.  But it took awhile as they had to count down all the money in it when they opened it up.

[newbee2022]

19 hours 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?

It's not about money at all. It's about offering help in a special situation. She asked you and you refused. I can't see any red flags at all. If you had put your feet in her shoes ..what you would have done? Of course waiting for a farang whom she could explain her situation to. And where is a better place to meet a farang if not at the ATM? To give her a ride to the hotel would have been at least what I would have done. I don't think it was your best day in life.😕