New, Maybe Old Airport Scam

[jaansinatra]

i'm at Bangkok airport now, and i just changed some money before immigration at TMB.

the representative was supposed to give me some chinese money, and 150 euros.

i counted out the Euros twice. the representative saw i was somewhat distracted because my husband was nearby with my severely handicapped daughter that (we adopted from Udon Thoni).

anyways, i counted 110 euros. i counted again, 110 euros. i yelled YOU DON"T KNOW HOW TO COUJNT. i noted that all the bills were in demonimational order.

when he recounts himnself, it comes out to 150 but the bills are no longer in denominational order. what he did was when he knew he was faced with a recount , he with slight of hand, added the two 20 euro notes.

i got all my money but the moral of this is you must count your change, everywhere. especially at a busy and distracting airport.

[rubik101]

I'm afraid it happens at other airports, not just in BKK. I had the same experience in Greece last year. The difference is that I think they had folded a 20 euro note so that when they counted the bundle, they counted twenty pieces of paper but 1 of them was folded so I got just 380 euros plus some change.

I didn't notice it until about three days later, even then I wasn't sure.

[samran]

happened in Jakarta to me. Would have cost me $20 had I not bought it up. Late at night, delayed arrival etc...just wanted to get to the hotel. Lesson is to count your money before you leave.

[glyph]

"i was somewhat distracted because my husband was nearby with my severely handicapped daughter that (we adopted from Udon Thoni)."

Using your severely handicapped daughter (that you adopted from Udon Thani) as an excuse for your negligence is inexcusable.

[mgjackson69]

"...the representative saw i was somewhat distracted..."

How do you know this? Did the rep comment on it? You can read minds now?

"...i yelled YOU DON"T KNOW HOW TO COUJNT..."

Oh good...that is a great way to conduct yourself. Yelling always helps...

"when he knew he was faced with a recount , he with slight of hand, added the two 20 euro notes"

Or, he made an honest mistake, and tried to cover it to save face

But, it is good that you took the time to log on, in the middle of the "busy and distracting airport", with the added burden of your "severely handicapped daughter", just to warn us about this.

It seems like you have the worst luck in the world, being the target of every scam known to man plus...or you fancy yourself a good story-teller.

I suspect the second.

[j0hnga1t]

That's why I use an ATM

[dr_Pat_Pong]

That's why I use an ATM

Are the ATM's faultless now ?

[Dave the Dude]

That's why I use an ATM

Are the ATM's faultless now ?

Having worked in a bank for 26 years and seeing ATM given out TOO MUCH,NOT ENOUGH and SHREDDED NOTES, the answer to your question is a big

NO!

I always count notes from an ATM as I have been underpaid here in Thailand

Dave

[mijan24]

Unusal at a bank but busy airport at busy money change for a busy person in a hurry YES. -A good "heads up" because familiarity can breed contempt (read frequent traveller here).

Old trick folding notes the street money changers in Manila had it mastered.

I like those money counting machines they have at the banks here they put the notes through both ways and any hiccups manual count safeguarding themselves for sure but at least you know what you are getting.

[mgjackson69]

That's why I use an ATM

Are the ATM's faultless now ?

Having worked in a bank for 26 years and seeing ATM given out TOO MUCH,NOT ENOUGH and SHREDDED NOTES, the answer to your question is a big

NO!

I always count notes from an ATM as I have been underpaid here in Thailand

Dave

This begs the next question, and one that I have always wondered:

If an ATM shorts you, what can you do about it?

[Chaimai]

i'm at Bangkok airport now, and i just changed some money before immigration at TMB.

the representative was supposed to give me some chinese money, and 150 euros.

i counted out the Euros twice. the representative saw i was somewhat distracted because my husband was nearby with my severely handicapped daughter that (we adopted from Udon Thoni).

anyways, i counted 110 euros. i counted again, 110 euros. i yelled YOU DON"T KNOW HOW TO COUJNT. i noted that all the bills were in demonimational order.

when he recounts himnself, it comes out to 150 but the bills are no longer in denominational order. what he did was when he knew he was faced with a recount , he with slight of hand, added the two 20 euro notes.

i got all my money but the moral of this is you must count your change, everywhere. especially at a busy and distracting airport.

Surely you could claim for any shortage on your super-duper credit card - chai mai ?

[SeaVisionBurma]

This begs the next question, and one that I have always wondered:

If an ATM shorts you, what can you do about it?

easy, as per the OP, you can yell at the ATM: "YOU DON"T KNOW HOW TO COUJNT"

and the ATM will respond "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO SPELL"

[jamesjdaly]

^^

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!

[JOATMON]

When the ATM short changes you, you take your handicapped daughter into the bank and shout at them. If you don't have one then bank policy is that you don't get re-imbursed...

[lopburi3]

The only time I have even had less funds than requested/charged the receipt showed the correct amount. The wrong total was deducted from US account but was quickly corrected. That was many years ago and the ATM obviously did not know how much money it had available, or became jammed, for some reason. I do not always count but when it feels short I do and have never found a discrepancy. Normally I take the maximum amount of 25k per transaction using local ATM card.

[libya 115]

I have never had a problem at the airport, but I have always been served by young women. I recommend dealing with women in future, I believe that they are less likely to pull a stunt like that.

On the same subject; the double-count note trick is alive and well in Pattaya, most recently at the 7-11 next door to Yorkies. The huge ladyman employee in there has it so well perfected she/he must make hundreds every day.

BEWARE!!

[think_too_mut]

That's why I use an ATM

Are the ATM's faultless now ?

Having worked in a bank for 26 years and seeing ATM given out TOO MUCH,NOT ENOUGH and SHREDDED NOTES, the answer to your question is a big

NO!

I always count notes from an ATM as I have been underpaid here in Thailand

Dave

Is that right?

You could have worked in an accounting or security dept of a bank.

Humble me was with NCR who invented and are the world leader in ATMs.

There, I was a software developer for ATMs.

No way I would agree with your post.

There were intermittant issues when RBA (Australia's Feds) introduced plastic bills, where the bills could vary in length by about 5mm.

Upon dispensing, an ATM sucks the bills, one by one, with a vacuum pump. The mistakes are so rare that the banks mostly believe any complaint - they know from the log what was produced and what the receipt says.

If not so clear and there is a dispute, they always have the means to do root cause analysis and the customers are never at loss.

[tartempion]

A few years ago an airport bank employee got arrested I remember so, due to the action of a duped person who went to head office to complain.

I think it he posted that story on a web board, TV?

[gk10002000]

That's why I use an ATM

Are the ATM's faultless now ?

Having worked in a bank for 26 years and seeing ATM given out TOO MUCH,NOT ENOUGH and SHREDDED NOTES, the answer to your question is a big

NO!

I always count notes from an ATM as I have been underpaid here in Thailand

Dave

It happened once in the USA to me. I took out 500 USD and got about 280! I fanned the money in front of the ATM camera. I immediately called my bank and told them what happened. They credited my account. I have no idea if they reconciled with the ATM. One would expect the ATM transaction record to show the incorrect value as it "counts" the money going out.

This begs the next question, and one that I have always wondered:

If an ATM shorts you, what can you do about it?

[chivo]

wow. some harsh responses to a perons warning.

i had the money changers at don muang try the same. i seriously doubt that when your job is exchanging money that you could 'make an honest mistake' that often.

there would be safeguards and systems in order to make sure all amounts in and out were correct.

they are often just scamming! and yes it is not just thailand!

and i don't blame the o.p. for making a small ruccous. maybe the embarrasment will cause the money exchangers to be a little more dilligent and accurate. surely the surrounding businesses would take notice if people keep getting the wrong change and bark.

[mgjackson69]

Harsh responses to a person's troll

Take a look at some of jaansinatra's other topics and posts, and consider the fact that that person is now banned, then you will understand the responses.

Edit: fingers faster than brain, hit send too quickly

Edited September 6, 2008 by mgjackson69

[martin81]

Re : ATM

I had a Bangkok Bank ATM cheat me of 10K B from my BBL ATM. It did not give any money but withdrew money from my account.

I phoned BBL a few days later when I discovered the error.

I got the money back into my account within a few days after complaint.

So even ATM errors can be corrected.

[grannyfopes]

Is that right?

You could have worked in an accounting or security dept of a bank.

Humble me was with NCR who invented and are the world leader in ATMs.

There, I was a software developer for ATMs.

No way I would agree with your post.

There were intermittant issues when RBA (Australia's Feds) introduced plastic bills, where the bills could vary in length by about 5mm.

Upon dispensing, an ATM sucks the bills, one by one, with a vacuum pump. The mistakes are so rare that the banks mostly believe any complaint - they know from the log what was produced and what the receipt says.

If not so clear and there is a dispute, they always have the means to do root cause analysis and the customers are never at loss.

interesting. however ATM's do need to be fed by someone at the back of the machine. put a matchstick between a wad of notes - and - hey presto - the surplus note that should have taken its place falls into an excess bin - to be collected later by the same someone at the back of the machine!

not bad money - but a short term career