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Scam On The Baht Bus-a Warning To Good Samaritans

phitsanulokjon

By phitsanulokjon
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phitsanulokjon Explorer Member

phitsanulokjon

Posted
Posted

Just reading a thread posted several days ago bout "cards left in ATMs" prompts me to write this...

Last month I took the usual 4km bus journey from town to home having got some shopping - couple of monks and a guy who looked like he was returning from work were the only others on there. Monks got off first then the guy about 1km later, my stop being another 1/2km further on.

As the bus slowed for me to get off I noticed the lone guys wallet left where he had been sitting - as I got off, I picked it up and alerted the driver who was very keen to take it from me !!! I refused but showed him there was nothing in the wallet other than an ID card.

His keenness gave me the hunch that something wasnt quite right - after 5 years here and being married to a Thai, my Thais quite good so I explained to him that I would take it to police, they could find the guy from his ID card and made an exagerated display of writing down the buses reg number.

It was a 5 minute walk home and it just so happens that I have to pass 2 houses where cousins of my wife live - both are in the police and luckily were at home. I say luckily because as I got to their houses the bus screeched up almost running me over and lo and behold "mr lost wallet" was there with the driver.

The guy begged for his wallet back but by now both my cousins were involved - turned out "mr lost wallet" had done the same thing 3 times in the last couple of months claiming it had been stolen and upto 2,000baht in it - he'd been going to police, accusing people and then getting money from those he'd accused !! (all locals by the way)

I'd have expected this kind of scam to happen in a "touristy" area but not upcountry!

Just goes to show you gotta be careful wherever you are and even when you try to be a genuine good samaritan !!

Anyone come across anything similar ??

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slapout Ruby Member

slapout

Posted
Posted

Not doubting your story, but if he gets off of the bus and a passenger takes wallet and leaves bus who chases that person with the wallet down? The bus driver, the dropee or the monks. When and to whom does he report the missing money? Sounds a tad strange to me, but you hear a lot of stories here in

LOS.

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Gumballl Gold Member

Gumballl

Posted
Posted
Just reading a thread posted several days ago bout "cards left in ATMs" prompts me to write this...

Last month I took the usual 4km bus journey from town to home having got some shopping - couple of monks and a guy who looked like he was returning from work were the only others on there. Monks got off first then the guy about 1km later, my stop being another 1/2km further on.

As the bus slowed for me to get off I noticed the lone guys wallet left where he had been sitting - as I got off, I picked it up and alerted the driver who was very keen to take it from me !!! I refused but showed him there was nothing in the wallet other than an ID card.

His keenness gave me the hunch that something wasnt quite right - after 5 years here and being married to a Thai, my Thais quite good so I explained to him that I would take it to police, they could find the guy from his ID card and made an exagerated display of writing down the buses reg number.

It was a 5 minute walk home and it just so happens that I have to pass 2 houses where cousins of my wife live - both are in the police and luckily were at home. I say luckily because as I got to their houses the bus screeched up almost running me over and lo and behold "mr lost wallet" was there with the driver.

The guy begged for his wallet back but by now both my cousins were involved - turned out "mr lost wallet" had done the same thing 3 times in the last couple of months claiming it had been stolen and upto 2,000baht in it - he'd been going to police, accusing people and then getting money from those he'd accused !! (all locals by the way)

I'd have expected this kind of scam to happen in a "touristy" area but not upcountry!

Just goes to show you gotta be careful wherever you are and even when you try to be a genuine good samaritan !!

Anyone come across anything similar ??

I have to say "no", I have never encountered this situation.

But if I had said "yes", so what? Is there something you want me to say? Would my actions be relevant to your situation?? Personally I would have told the Monk to catch his wallet as I threw it in the opposite direction. Do I care what you would have done?? Not the least bit.

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prefabs Silver Member

prefabs

Posted
Posted
Just reading a thread posted several days ago bout "cards left in ATMs" prompts me to write this...

Last month I took the usual 4km bus journey from town to home having got some shopping - couple of monks and a guy who looked like he was returning from work were the only others on there. Monks got off first then the guy about 1km later, my stop being another 1/2km further on.

As the bus slowed for me to get off I noticed the lone guys wallet left where he had been sitting - as I got off, I picked it up and alerted the driver who was very keen to take it from me !!! I refused but showed him there was nothing in the wallet other than an ID card.

His keenness gave me the hunch that something wasnt quite right - after 5 years here and being married to a Thai, my Thais quite good so I explained to him that I would take it to police, they could find the guy from his ID card and made an exagerated display of writing down the buses reg number.

It was a 5 minute walk home and it just so happens that I have to pass 2 houses where cousins of my wife live - both are in the police and luckily were at home. I say luckily because as I got to their houses the bus screeched up almost running me over and lo and behold "mr lost wallet" was there with the driver.

The guy begged for his wallet back but by now both my cousins were involved - turned out "mr lost wallet" had done the same thing 3 times in the last couple of months claiming it had been stolen and upto 2,000baht in it - he'd been going to police, accusing people and then getting money from those he'd accused !! (all locals by the way)

I'd have expected this kind of scam to happen in a "touristy" area but not upcountry!

Just goes to show you gotta be careful wherever you are and even when you try to be a genuine good samaritan !!

Anyone come across anything similar ??

I have to say "no", I have never encountered this situation.

But if I had said "yes", so what? Is there something you want me to say? Would my actions be relevant to your situation?? Personally I would have told the Monk to catch his wallet as I threw it in the opposite direction. Do I care what you would have done?? Not the least bit.

Jeez buddy, you had a bad day or what? What a d##khead

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dave111223 Platinum Member

dave111223

Posted
Posted
But if I had said "yes", so what? Is there something you want me to say? Would my actions be relevant to your situation?? Personally I would have told the Monk to catch his wallet as I threw it in the opposite direction. Do I care what you would have done?? Not the least bit.

:o

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JetsetBkk Star Member

JetsetBkk

Posted
Posted
Just reading a thread posted several days ago bout "cards left in ATMs" prompts me to write this...

Last month I took the usual 4km bus journey from town to home having got some shopping - couple of monks and a guy who looked like he was returning from work were the only others on there. Monks got off first then the guy about 1km later, my stop being another 1/2km further on.

As the bus slowed for me to get off I noticed the lone guys wallet left where he had been sitting - as I got off, I picked it up and alerted the driver who was very keen to take it from me !!! I refused but showed him there was nothing in the wallet other than an ID card.

His keenness gave me the hunch that something wasnt quite right - after 5 years here and being married to a Thai, my Thais quite good so I explained to him that I would take it to police, they could find the guy from his ID card and made an exagerated display of writing down the buses reg number.

It was a 5 minute walk home and it just so happens that I have to pass 2 houses where cousins of my wife live - both are in the police and luckily were at home. I say luckily because as I got to their houses the bus screeched up almost running me over and lo and behold "mr lost wallet" was there with the driver.

The guy begged for his wallet back but by now both my cousins were involved - turned out "mr lost wallet" had done the same thing 3 times in the last couple of months claiming it had been stolen and upto 2,000baht in it - he'd been going to police, accusing people and then getting money from those he'd accused !! (all locals by the way)

I'd have expected this kind of scam to happen in a "touristy" area but not upcountry!

Just goes to show you gotta be careful wherever you are and even when you try to be a genuine good samaritan !!

Anyone come across anything similar ??

I have to say "no", I have never encountered this situation.

But if I had said "yes", so what? Is there something you want me to say? Would my actions be relevant to your situation?? Personally I would have told the Monk to catch his wallet as I threw it in the opposite direction. Do I care what you would have done?? Not the least bit.

Jeez buddy, you had a bad day or what? What a d##khead

Seconded!

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tobyarnott Apprentice Member

tobyarnott

Posted
Posted

[

The guy begged for his wallet back but by now both my cousins were involved - turned out "mr lost wallet" had done the same thing 3 times in the last couple of months claiming it had been stolen and upto 2,000baht in it - he'd been going to police, accusing people and then getting money from those he'd accused !! (all locals by the way)

Weren't the police a bit suspicious if he kept losing his wallet and the money in it over and over again?

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Master Chief Advanced Member

Master Chief

Posted
Posted
Just reading a thread posted several days ago bout "cards left in ATMs" prompts me to write this...

Last month I took the usual 4km bus journey from town to home having got some shopping - couple of monks and a guy who looked like he was returning from work were the only others on there. Monks got off first then the guy about 1km later, my stop being another 1/2km further on.

As the bus slowed for me to get off I noticed the lone guys wallet left where he had been sitting - as I got off, I picked it up and alerted the driver who was very keen to take it from me !!! I refused but showed him there was nothing in the wallet other than an ID card.

His keenness gave me the hunch that something wasnt quite right - after 5 years here and being married to a Thai, my Thais quite good so I explained to him that I would take it to police, they could find the guy from his ID card and made an exagerated display of writing down the buses reg number.

It was a 5 minute walk home and it just so happens that I have to pass 2 houses where cousins of my wife live - both are in the police and luckily were at home. I say luckily because as I got to their houses the bus screeched up almost running me over and lo and behold "mr lost wallet" was there with the driver.

The guy begged for his wallet back but by now both my cousins were involved - turned out "mr lost wallet" had done the same thing 3 times in the last couple of months claiming it had been stolen and upto 2,000baht in it - he'd been going to police, accusing people and then getting money from those he'd accused !! (all locals by the way)

I'd have expected this kind of scam to happen in a "touristy" area but not upcountry!

Just goes to show you gotta be careful wherever you are and even when you try to be a genuine good samaritan !!

Anyone come across anything similar ??

I have to say "no", I have never encountered this situation.

But if I had said "yes", so what? Is there something you want me to say? Would my actions be relevant to your situation?? Personally I would have told the Monk to catch his wallet as I threw it in the opposite direction. Do I care what you would have done?? Not the least bit.

Where did the monk come into this scam, maybe just a reading disorder? :o

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NanLaew Star Member

NanLaew

Posted
Posted
Not doubting your story, but if he gets off of the bus and a passenger takes wallet and leaves bus who chases that person with the wallet down? The bus driver, the dropee or the monks. When and to whom does he report the missing money? Sounds a tad strange to me, but you hear a lot of stories here in

LOS.

It's based on the premise that the guy 'losing' the wallet and the baht bus driver are working together. Someone finding the wallet may give it to the driver (hence the eagerness of the driver in this story to accept it) whilst others would keep it. In this latter instance, the driver knows what passenger got of where so able to track down that person with the scamming wallet owner and do their shakedown. It's even possible the 'monk' may be a third team member who gets off at the same time as the person finding the wallet and following them to their eventual home. The guy losing the wallet never reports it, he just turns up all indignant that his wallet has been emptied and the Thai victim, faced with the fact that they do actually have the guys 'lost' wallet in their possession and not wanting the police involved, cough up what is demanded.

It appears that most Thais opt to keep the wallet and get shaken down but they hadn't factored in the honest farang in the OP with BIB buddies.

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Scott Star Member

Scott

Posted
Posted

The guy probably doesn't say he lost the wallet....he says it's been stolen. You are then caught with the 'stolen' wallet and in order to keep from getting into trouble, you pay the amount of money he says is missing.

I haven't run into it, but I would just leave the wallet where it was and tell the driver that someone may have dropped their wallet.

I didn't think people would risk losing their ID card though.

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lawling Advanced Member

lawling

Posted
Posted
The guy probably doesn't say he lost the wallet....he says it's been stolen. You are then caught with the 'stolen' wallet and in order to keep from getting into trouble, you pay the amount of money he says is missing.

I haven't run into it, but I would just leave the wallet where it was and tell the driver that someone may have dropped their wallet.

I didn't think people would risk losing their ID card though.

Yes, seems to me he is taking a big risk. Someone could just pocket the wallet and ID and say nothing.

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lawling Advanced Member

lawling

Posted
Posted
Not doubting your story, but if he gets off of the bus and a passenger takes wallet and leaves bus who chases that person with the wallet down? The bus driver, the dropee or the monks. When and to whom does he report the missing money? Sounds a tad strange to me, but you hear a lot of stories here in

LOS.

It's based on the premise that the guy 'losing' the wallet and the baht bus driver are working together. Someone finding the wallet may give it to the driver (hence the eagerness of the driver in this story to accept it) whilst others would keep it. In this latter instance, the driver knows what passenger got of where so able to track down that person with the scamming wallet owner and do their shakedown. It's even possible the 'monk' may be a third team member who gets off at the same time as the person finding the wallet and following them to their eventual home. The guy losing the wallet never reports it, he just turns up all indignant that his wallet has been emptied and the Thai victim, faced with the fact that they do actually have the guys 'lost' wallet in their possession and not wanting the police involved, cough up what is demanded.

It appears that most Thais opt to keep the wallet and get shaken down but they hadn't factored in the honest farang in the OP with BIB buddies.

I'm not sure that that fits. Apparently "the scammmer" has been going to the police, according to the original post, but, as someone asked earlier, why were the police not suspicious if he kept losing his wallet and the money in it over and over again.

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phitsanulokjon Explorer Member

phitsanulokjon

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Not doubting your story, but if he gets off of the bus and a passenger takes wallet and leaves bus who chases that person with the wallet down? The bus driver, the dropee or the monks. When and to whom does he report the missing money? Sounds a tad strange to me, but you hear a lot of stories here in

LOS.

It's based on the premise that the guy 'losing' the wallet and the baht bus driver are working together. Someone finding the wallet may give it to the driver (hence the eagerness of the driver in this story to accept it) whilst others would keep it. In this latter instance, the driver knows what passenger got of where so able to track down that person with the scamming wallet owner and do their shakedown. It's even possible the 'monk' may be a third team member who gets off at the same time as the person finding the wallet and following them to their eventual home. The guy losing the wallet never reports it, he just turns up all indignant that his wallet has been emptied and the Thai victim, faced with the fact that they do actually have the guys 'lost' wallet in their possession and not wanting the police involved, cough up what is demanded.

It appears that most Thais opt to keep the wallet and get shaken down but they hadn't factored in the honest farang in the OP with BIB buddies.

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phitsanulokjon Explorer Member

phitsanulokjon

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Not doubting your story, but if he gets off of the bus and a passenger takes wallet and leaves bus who chases that person with the wallet down? The bus driver, the dropee or the monks. When and to whom does he report the missing money? Sounds a tad strange to me, but you hear a lot of stories here in

LOS.

It's based on the premise that the guy 'losing' the wallet and the baht bus driver are working together. Someone finding the wallet may give it to the driver (hence the eagerness of the driver in this story to accept it) whilst others would keep it. In this latter instance, the driver knows what passenger got of where so able to track down that person with the scamming wallet owner and do their shakedown. It's even possible the 'monk' may be a third team member who gets off at the same time as the person finding the wallet and following them to their eventual home. The guy losing the wallet never reports it, he just turns up all indignant that his wallet has been emptied and the Thai victim, faced with the fact that they do actually have the guys 'lost' wallet in their possession and not wanting the police involved, cough up what is demanded.

It appears that most Thais opt to keep the wallet and get shaken down but they hadn't factored in the honest farang in the OP with BIB buddies.

Yes NanLaew

The driver and "victim" were working together. - the monk had nothing to do with it by the way.

I think they hadn't counted on a farang who for a start wasnt a tourist (and spoke thai) but also it was lucky having the cousins close by.

E.g - I could have just crossed the road and waited for another bus to take me back towards town where the nearest police station was, handing in the wallet, giving the reg number of the bus etc.

The motto of my OP is just be careful even when you have "jai dee"

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SamuiJens Gold Member

SamuiJens

Posted
Posted
Don't get me started! Just think before you act. So many scams everywhere these days!

No not really mate, just hear in Thailand! Can any Farang on here honestly say he is ever relaxed and can drop his guard here in the LOS!

THAT's what I'm saying, ie. don't take a wallet from a baht bus in the first place! Think before you act! What's soo wrong with that?? :o

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2008bangkok Gold Member

2008bangkok

Posted
Posted
I have to say "no", I have never encountered this situation.

But if I had said "yes", so what? Is there something you want me to say? Would my actions be relevant to your situation?? Personally I would have told the Monk to catch his wallet as I threw it in the opposite direction. Do I care what you would have done?? Not the least bit.

I see somebody is fitting to there username......

Do i care thst there really are idiots in the world like you..no

Does the OP... i doubt it..

Do you have to duck your massife head when you go through doors...definately

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glyph Advanced Member

glyph

Posted
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"The guy begged for his wallet back but by now both my cousins were involved - turned out "mr lost wallet" had done the same thing 3 times in the last couple of months..."

Did Mr. Lost Wallet tell you that? How'd you know what he did in the past? Regardless... several weeks ago, a young woman bought some coffee on the street and, as she walked away, she dropped her change. Another street vendor and motorcycle taxi guy watched as she walked away, without saying a word. I walked over and picked up the money. Realizing that they weren't going to get any of the proceeds, both the vendor and cycle guy raised a stink. The young woman turned around, and asked for me to return the money that she dropped. I asked her how much. She thought about it for a moment, and replied, "60 baht". I opened my hand, and there were 3 crisp 20 baht bills in my palm, which I gave her. She got her money back, and felt good. I was a good Samaritan, and I felt good. The cycle guy and street vendor were somewhat less happy with the outcome.

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