New Way To Steal Money, Jewelry In Thailand.

[StateSix]

Unfortunately my girlfriend was scammed in this way on Soi 71. When she told me about it I didnt believe her. A couple of strangers engaged her in conversation and turned the conversation to a Buddah amulet that one wanted to sell. A third person who was nearby suddenly joined the conversation and claimed it was an extremely expensive amulet, worth in the region of Bt1m. My gf ended up going off with them in a taxi. They asked her to mind the amulet while they went and did something and asked if she could leave them a deposit. She left her mobile, some gold and Bt7k cash. All in all around Bt40k. Surprise, surprise she never saw them again.

I could not believe that she would be stupid enough to believe this story, but also I could not believe that she would sell the gold etc and make up such a story. One of the pieces of gold had big sentimental value and there was no way that she would ever get rid of it. She kept claiming that they used 'magic' and that she felt strange whilst it was happening as though she could not say no.

I insisted she report it to the police, which she was reluctant to at first as she didnt want to look stupid, or lose face. I said she had to as the police need to know about such stuff for intelligence purposes. The gang could be pulling the same scam in the same area every day, but if nobody reports it how can the police do anything.

She reported it to the police and when she had finished the officer produced a report book and there were 4 or 5 reports of the same basic method of operation and description of offenders.

I asked the copper if they used drugs, but he was non comittal. I couldnt go into too deep a chat about it as my Thai and his English were not good enough.

The scam is real enough but whether it is a drug that is used, or some sort of hypnosis or the victim simply falls for a very basic scam is debatable. I find it hard to believe that a drug is used for the reasons given earlier ie difficulty in applying it, problems with doseage, why is it not more widespread and used in other crimes, but equally I find it hard to believe that my gf would fall for such an obvious deception.

I spoke to many Thais who believe that a drug is used.

[Sir Burr]

Several years ago, I read an news article about people in Brazil being robbed of their gold and valubles and not being able to remember a thing except that somebody blew a powder in their face. Turned out that this powder was Scopolamine. Maybe this could be the mystery drug?

[maerim]

if a ropey looking prostitute wanted to rob a drunk, naive tourist surely it would be much easier to just slip something into his drink.

Such as her nipples?

[NedKelly]

......alright you lot.......please take all your wallets, cash, jewelry, gold bars etc and post them to my home address.......tomorrow you will wake up and have forgotten the whole thing !!

[RDN]

if a ropey looking prostitute wanted to rob a drunk, naive tourist surely it would be much easier to just slip something into his drink.

Such as her nipples?

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[tuky]

Didn't this happen to Kringle about a year ago?

[withnail]

Didn't this happen to Kringle about a year ago?

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Whose drink did he put his nipples in?

No offence.

[Ken]

I'm sorry...to the guys reporting that it has happened to their wife, girlfriend. If you really believe it "then up to you" and you are sounding like the couple of Farang up here in the village area believing it. Sorry, not convinced, makes no sense if you can think at all "logically" about what they are saying.

But then again, the reason for my posting this was 'cause I while I didn't believe it, I really wasn't sure. Guess I needed some "reassurance".

[Jeff1]

I'm sorry...to the guys reporting that it has happened to their wife, girlfriend.  If you really believe it "then up to you" and you are sounding like the couple of Farang up here in the village area believing it.  Sorry, not convinced, makes no sense if you can think at all "logically" about what they are saying.

But then again, the reason for my posting this was 'cause I while I didn't believe it, I really wasn't sure.  Guess I needed some "reassurance".

What part of my post do you think said that I belive that ? Please reread or read before the witty comments . But thanks for the " sorry " .

I have to agree with the gentleman that said something about a farang yet to see it first hand . However , the last thing I want to see in Thailand is a naked farang .

[Fast Eddie]

Some of the stories presented in this thread do sound similar to hypnosis. It's not completely implausable that some unscrupulous characters might attempt to misuse their talent. Victims who have no idea what has just happened to them could very well attempt to rationalise it by deciding that they must have been drugged. I've no idea how easy it would be to walk up to somebody on the street and attempt to hypnotise them, but there might be people who are susceptible to it. It's a possible explanation.

[pautai]

i asked the pharmacologists and they never heard of such a drug .

so i think it must be pure horseshit.

if someone is fast talking distracted by a crowd of scammers i guess they would get taken in.

i was approached by one of those Indian swamis in the white turbans ,they are really tricky guys ..

[maerim]

i asked the pharmacologists and they never heard of such a drug .

so i think it must be pure horseshit.

Well, you live and learn I never knew this stuff could be used as a knockout drug.

I am sure the unsuspecting victim would be able to taste it or at least smell it before it was given.

[Ken]

What part of my post do you think said that I belive that ?  Please reread or read before the witty comments . But thanks for the " sorry " . 

I have to agree with the gentleman that said something about a farang yet to see it first hand . However , the last thing I want to see in Thailand is a naked farang .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry again, touched a nerve did I? My "witty" post was not directed at anyone specifically and definitely not yourself, really sorry. Hey my wife believe's this stuff also. Just a couple of the posts sound a bit like the couple of local village Farang who are believing it and have a bit of a problem that they can't convince me. And supposedly this is happening in broad daylight, out in the open for anyone to see (no naked Farang or otherwise involved). And I agree with the poster saying this type of scam is real enough, but the question here is perhaps the method. Cheers.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I'm thinking that this could go with a previous original posting that asked the question: "You know you've been in Thailand too long when?".....  You start believing this story.

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[toddy]

I heard they rub cobra venom into your inner wrist, well thats what the Thais reckon.

i would have thought that to be extremely dangerous. the Thai police seem to accept this as crime though whatever the chemical is they are using.

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No way, I have been milking venemous snakes for 16 years and there is not a chance of venom from any species I know entering through the pores of the skin and causing this kind of reaction. It would be difficult to do also because if the skin was cut (on either the criminal or victim) there would be a serious risk of death.

[Abandon]

It took 2 whole legs rubbed with vasaline to knock Wladimir Klitscho out

hahahahaaaa

[penzman]

I'm still conviced this story is used by people who have sold their items to settle gambling debts or too proud to admit they were had in some sort of a scam. Ever heard of this wonder drug or hypnosis being used in your home country? I haven't.

[Jeff1]

I'm still conviced this story is used by people who have sold their items to settle gambling debts or too proud to admit they were had in some sort of a scam. Ever heard of this wonder drug or hypnosis being used in your home country? I haven't.

[/quote

Yes , ( above ) thats pretty much redundindt ( check spelling )

It is a sad state of affairs when you hear this . I am not happy . but it did happen . How it happened , ....I was not there to see . As stated before this does not happen where im from so naturally I think its BS . However I am not the know all to end all . Hey , weird shit happens in Thailand and if your immune ( again , please check spelling ) than just wait . Im sure something will or has happened to you also ,that your not proud of . Here .

I think that this a forum where we can share things that happen to us / our family without smartass comments . Were here together because we are strangers in a strange land . Lets try to keep it that way and at least get along with each other .

If im wrong please let me know .

[LivinLOS]

For those that keep saying knock out drops cannot be administered via skin contact and only orally please read about DMSO as I said in the second post in this thread.. I have personal experience of the stuff and it is near instant and carries drugs straight into your bloodstream so the effect and speed of the effect happening is similar to injection..

Instant skin contact knockout drops (5 secs or so) are very possible. The 'trance' element seems debatable.

[LivinLOS]

Remebering I had an email discussion with an expat who claimed there was even a SPAM email in Thai curculating with an online ordering system to buy Mickey Finn products.

This was what he told me at the time..

Thai webpage or HTML email that her friend had sent to her. The page had looked like a typical well constructed product promotion page with pictures of various containers of knockout drops! Although I do not understand written Thai I thought this page seemed totally genuine so did my secretary. I asked my secretary for a rough translation of the descriptive text of the micky finns which went something like this.

Product X 700 Baht, Effective time to knockout 10 secs colourless, odorless and can be used in drinks. No memory of usage.

Product Y 850 Baht, Aerosol, Effective time to knock out 10 secs. No memory of usage.

Product Z 950 Baht, sweet tasting liquid, effective time to knockout 5 secs. Can be used 100 times on same person with no memory of usage.

[Ken]

Remebering I had an email discussion with an expat who claimed there was even a SPAM email in Thai curculating with an online ordering system to buy Mickey Finn products.

This was what he told me at the time..

Thai webpage or HTML email that her friend had sent to her. The page had looked like a typical well constructed product promotion page with pictures of various containers of knockout drops! Although I do not understand written Thai I thought this page seemed totally genuine so did my secretary. I asked my secretary for a rough translation of the descriptive text of the micky finns which went something like this.

Product X 700 Baht, Effective time to knockout 10 secs colourless, odorless and can be used in drinks. No memory of usage.

Product Y 850 Baht, Aerosol, Effective time to knock out 10 secs. No memory of usage.

Product Z 950 Baht, sweet tasting liquid, effective time to knockout 5 secs. Can be used 100 times on same person with no memory of usage.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you have a valid point concerning the DMSO and I'm somewhat familiar with the stuff myself. Therefore certainly some agreement here on the possibilities of administering a "knock out" type of drug in this way. But the "hypnotic, trance" like stuff, where you just willingly hand over your money and jewelry is still stretching the realm of liklihood from where I sit. But that's just my opinion at the moment anyway.

[RDN]

i asked the pharmacologists and they never heard of such a drug . so i think it must be pure horseshit.

Well, you live and learn I never knew this stuff could be used as a knockout drug.

I am sure the unsuspecting victim would be able to taste it or at least smell it before it was given.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And how do you define "pure"? Exactly what proportions of hay, oats, etc, make it 100% pure?

[penzman]

I'd say it's 50% hay.

[Ken]

Well, last night I visited one of the Farang "believers". Pretty useless to try and unconvince him just as it's pretty useless to try and convince me without something more substantial to back up these stories. One of his replies back was "well, if it happened to your wife, would you then believe it?". Indeed if it happened to my wife I would have to believe that "something" happened, but I would seriously question the method. If it happened to his wife, would I believe....Nope.

[RDN]

Well, last night I visited one of the Farang "believers".  Pretty useless to try and unconvince him just as it's pretty useless to try and convince me without something more substantial to back up these stories.  One of his replies back was "well, if it happened to your wife, would you then believe it?".  Indeed if it happened to my wife I would have to believe that "something" happened, but I would seriously question the method.  If it happened to his wife, would I believe....Nope.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your friend's options:

1. Believe his wife, and pay up for whatever was spirited away.

2. Disbelieve his wife, still pay up, but get h3ll for months (and never, ever, be allowed to forget it).

I know which one I'd go for, too.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Well, last night I visited one of the Farang "believers".  Pretty useless to try and unconvince him just as it's pretty useless to try and convince me without something more substantial to back up these stories.  One of his replies back was "well, if it happened to your wife, would you then believe it?".  Indeed if it happened to my wife I would have to believe that "something" happened, but I would seriously question the method.  If it happened to his wife, would I believe....Nope.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your friend's options:

1. Believe his wife, and pay up for whatever was spirited away.

2. Disbelieve his wife, still pay up, but get h3ll for months (and never, ever, be allowed to forget it).

I know which one I'd go for, too.

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Me too,

[Ken]

Well, last night I visited one of the Farang "believers".  Pretty useless to try and unconvince him just as it's pretty useless to try and convince me without something more substantial to back up these stories.  One of his replies back was "well, if it happened to your wife, would you then believe it?".  Indeed if it happened to my wife I would have to believe that "something" happened, but I would seriously question the method.  If it happened to his wife, would I believe....Nope.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your friend's options:

1. Believe his wife, and pay up for whatever was spirited away.

2. Disbelieve his wife, still pay up, but get h3ll for months (and never, ever, be allowed to forget it).

I know which one I'd go for, too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like that! Now it hasn't happened to HIS wife yet, but if it does, then she has the "perfect excuse" since she already knows he's a believer.

[RDN]

... it hasn't happened to HIS wife yet, but if it does, then she has the "perfect excuse" since she already knows he's a believer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

...and so it spreads: more stories, more excuses, more believers, more ATM visits....

[fivevenoms]

*sigh*

I wasn't too inclined to participate in questionable Thai myths of hypno drugs and the like, but as it so happens, my sister(s)-in-law had this same set of events happen to them. One was heading forward when some guy rubs the "mystery drug" in question onto her hand and heads towards the ATM with her. My other sister, walking behind, spies this and manages to confront the guy, who subsequently runs for it.

Do I believe in the drug in question? Not neccesarily, but neither of my sisters (in-law) are particularly given to fantastical story-telling, so I've since given up on trying to figure out what, precisely, is going on.

[expatinasia]

I was having a discussion with my older sister regarding fokelore, and the subject of "witches riding brooms" came up. I had read that witches smeared a cream containing a "knock out" drug in their vaginas, using a broom. Men who had intercourse with them fell asleep, and the women would rob them. Therefore, the visual of a witch riding a broom. My sister listened without saying anything. When I finished, she commented, "Well, if the guys preferred anal intercourse, a witch on the broom would look different." My sister has a great sense of humor...