Last week I received a call purporting to be from Bangkok Bank alleging that a sum had been withdrawn from my bank. Today I got a call alleging to be from the Revenue Department in Bangkok saying that "some documention" was irregular.

Both invited me to press '1' or '2' for further information. I pressed 2 in the case of the caller purporting to be from the Revenue Department. She asked me for my name and passport number.

Both cases turned out to be bogus.

In fact the front page of the thai version of the Revenue Department's website warns about such impersonation. http://www.rd.go.th/publish/272.0.html

My secretary says that they try to direct you to make a transfer via ATM. Does anyone know what their game is?

just a wild guess - to take your money.

There's a news item giving details about a Pattaya victim of the bank scam here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Prominent-Pa...ti-t330066.html

The tax scam works is a similar manner. They are after bank details. There's been a few posts about this scam lately and last year.

There's a news item giving details about a Pattaya victim of the bank scam here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Prominent-Pa...ti-t330066.html

The tax scam works is a similar manner. They are after bank details. There's been a few posts about this scam lately and last year.

Thanks. That makes sense. I guess the request for passport number is just a way of softening up the victims before directing them to the ATM. I'd be curious to know how the culprits manage to the engineer the ATM machine to empty the account. There is supposedly a daily transfer maximum.

Now goatfarmer it has taken months to perfect the money extraction method, via trail and error and you want the info and you want us (disregard) I mean culprits, to give this info freely? You have been a member of TV too long.

I met an American guy visiting Bkk, he said his wallet was pick-pocketed at Wat Po, and his ATM account cleaned out, even though there was no PIN in the wallet.

He thought it was an inside bank job......

419