Scam or Not?

[daveAustin]

Fair play to the op. I’m generally more forgiving to foreigners here as it is easier to get in trouble, but back ‘home’ I will brush off such a scenario. Suggesting the tourist police is a good idea, or ‘let’s call the police together’. 😋

One can also withdraw using the phone with those cardless atms, but guessing that is local accounts?

[cracker1]

Based on your comments I would have done exactly what you had done.

Congratulations !

[OneMoreFarang]

50 minutes ago, ThaiFelix said:

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?

Ok, I also didn't have a credit card when I was last a tourist in Thailand about 30 years ago. At that time, we had cash and traveler checks and all that.

 

And obviously it is still possible to exist and even travel without a credit card. But why do when it is so much more convenient to have those little plastic cards compared to wads of cash?

If you lose the card, no problem, get a new one. Or let the hotel talk to the credit card company and let you use your credit without having the card.

If you lose cash, that's it, it's gone.

 

 

 

[novacova]

20 hours ago, Lee4Life said:

"so you're not going to help me?"

Red flag 

[Prubangboy]

As mentioned, saying a credit card was going to be rushed to her the next day is nonsense. I had a fraud alert and they had to issue a credit card. It took 8 days till I had the new card in my hands.

 

Also, Thailand has Western Union. She could be cashed up by people back home in an hour.

 

A lot of the women who do this are BPD. They do it for the thrill of the scam. The money is unimportant.

 

"You're not going to help me", is a ploy to put you on the spot and bring out any White Knight instinct you might have (why these misguided simp impulses within us all must be ferreted out and killed).

[BangkokHank]

Even if it wasn't a scam (which it was), you are under no obligation to give money to random people simply because they ask you to. You did the right thing.

 

In these situations, I sometimes tell the person, "Oh, I was just about to ask YOU for money - because I'm having problems as well. So let's just call it even."

[bignok]

26 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Ok, I also didn't have a credit card when I was last a tourist in Thailand about 30 years ago. At that time, we had cash and traveler checks and all that.

 

And obviously it is still possible to exist and even travel without a credit card. But why do when it is so much more convenient to have those little plastic cards compared to wads of cash?

If you lose the card, no problem, get a new one. Or let the hotel talk to the credit card company and let you use your credit without having the card.

If you lose cash, that's it, it's gone.

 

 

 

Debit cards.

[bignok]

10 minutes ago, BangkokHank said:

Even if it wasn't a scam (which it was), you are under no obligation to give money to random people simply because they ask you to. You did the right thing.

 

In these situations, I sometimes tell the person, "Oh, I was just about to ask YOU for money - because I'm having problems as well. So let's just call it even."

Yes

[Prubangboy]

.....That her friends are all mysteriously on the other side of the border without her-story would have been one I would have pressed to hear; the elaborate confabulation as to how this wayward lamb got separated from her flock.

 

Because Australian groups travel all the time together and routinely cross borders without so much as a backwards glance to see if everyone is present. 

 

It would be a good story, confected on the spot.

 

Prob a very vague family emergency back home. 'Sad that Laos has no telephones so she couldn't sort it out from there.

[Freddy42OZ]

18 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

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.

 

I've not held a credit card for the past 23 years.  Doesn't stop me from traveling to other countries.  
 

[Lee4Life]

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

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.😕

That's okay, I don't mind that you think poorly of my decision, but it was my decision to make and I'll live with it. you can do differently when you are faced with the same situation if you like.

 

[john donson]

SCAM...

 

Phaya thai station 2 weeks ago... middle aged australian woman... tried the same sob story...

 

atm swallowed, blabla...

 

told her, sorry lady, call tourist police or go to the front desk of your hotel and went my way

[stoner]

20 hours ago, steven100 said:

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. 

 

i trust you steven. 

[steven100]

1 minute ago, stoner said:

 

i trust you steven. 

 thank you.  I don't cheat people .. it's not how I was brought up. 

[ThaiFelix]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Ok, I also didn't have a credit card when I was last a tourist in Thailand about 30 years ago. At that time, we had cash and traveler checks and all that.

 

And obviously it is still possible to exist and even travel without a credit card. But why do when it is so much more convenient to have those little plastic cards compared to wads of cash?

If you lose the card, no problem, get a new one. Or let the hotel talk to the credit card company and let you use your credit without having the card.

If you lose cash, that's it, it's gone.

 

 

 

Why carry cash when you can have a debit card?  I wouldnt carry wads of cash because you dont need to.  My comment was about people saying you cant survive without a credit card.  I am saying you conveniently can.  

[ThaiFelix]

45 minutes ago, bignok said:

Debit cards.

Exactly!!  thank you.

[newnative]

Scam.  You did the ight thing.

[ThaiFelix]

6 minutes ago, ThaiFelix said:

Why carry cash when you can have a debit card?  I wouldnt carry wads of cash because you dont need to.  My comment was about people saying you cant survive without a credit card.  I am saying you conveniently can.  

In addition I would never have all my money in one account.  I have several bank accounts at different banks for this reason plus for  others such as visa money, day to day spending, plus bulk of savings.  Not rich just have it distributed.  An atm machine or card fails I am not stuck.  Learnt from years of travelling to always have a contingency plan.    

[Moonlover]

13 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

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.  

As best I recall, every debit card that I have ever held has been personalised, including my current one with NBS. The only exception to that being cards that I hold here in Thailand. Where like everyone else I am a 'privileged member'. (that I should be so lucky)

 

The manufacture of these cards is out sourced to companies such as this one and as you can see their service includes personalisation, so I fail to see how a replacement card can be produced and delivered 'the next day' as this lady claimed. I remain a sceptic on this issue.

 

Enjoy your day.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Moonlover

[CygnusX1]

35 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

As best I recall, every debit card that I have ever held has been personalised, including my current one with NBS. The only exception to that being cards that I hold here in Thailand. Where like everyone else I am a 'privileged member'. (that I should be so lucky)

 

The manufacture of these cards is out sourced to companies such as this one and as you can see their service includes personalisation, so I fail to see how a replacement card can be produced and delivered 'the next day' as this lady claimed. I remain a sceptic on this issue.

I used to think the same, but my Bangkok Bank debit card had expired while I was absent from Thailand over the last 4 years. Last month, the Asoke branch took a few minutes to make a new one for me while I waited. Maybe it’s different in Thailand to banks back home in Australia.

[CygnusX1]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And obviously it is still possible to exist and even travel without a credit card. But why do when it is so much more convenient to have those little plastic cards compared to wads of cash?

If you lose the card, no problem, get a new one. Or let the hotel talk to the credit card company and let you use your credit without having the card.

If you lose cash, that's it, it's gone.

Sure, plastic’s more convenient, but I have nightmares over losing my plastic cards or having them stolen. At best, just a huge hassle to get replacements, especially when overseas. At worst, being defrauded of thousands. Losing a few hundred bucks of cash is trivial in comparison.

[brianthainess]

22 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

Tourists can not have a Thai ATM card.

And who said it was a Thai ATM card...................Oh yes it was you. please learn to read 

[brianthainess]

22 hours 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.

I got an ATM card locked by an OZ bank, and that was at a hospital ATM, I rang them and explained NO I am not in Pattaya!/Chonburi as they thought I was, I'm in a TRAT hospital and need to pay them, they unlocked it. Tossers. OZ banks SUCK.

[brianthainess]

21 hours 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.

That would take about a week to arrive minimum.

[brianthainess]

20 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???????

They may send it the next day, but how long would it take to arrive.

[eisfeld]

A very similar thing happened to me a few months ago at a Tesco in Phuket. A middle aged women speaking english approached me saying something like she lost her wallet and doesn't have money. She even showed some sort of paper with a police report. Asked for money but didn't want any other help. Clearly a scam.

[OneMoreFarang]

22 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

Sure, plastic’s more convenient, but I have nightmares over losing my plastic cards or having them stolen. At best, just a huge hassle to get replacements, especially when overseas. At worst, being defrauded of thousands. Losing a few hundred bucks of cash is trivial in comparison.

So what do you do when you used your few hundred bucks of cash? How do you refill your wallet? With some form of plastic card interaction? 

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, Freddy42OZ said:

 

I've not held a credit card for the past 23 years.  Doesn't stop me from traveling to other countries.  
 

Agree I have never had one, and traveled world wide.

[brianthainess]

I was approached by a bloke in Pattaya, (UK or OZ) went on about he was waiting for a new passport, asking me for money he appeared slightly drunk, of course I didn't give him any,  about 30min later saw him coming out of 7/11 with beer. 

[brianthainess]

One thing to have done, not saying I would, would ask her to ring her bank again on speaker phone to hear what they said.