Frenchman Fleeced In Phuket Banking Bungle

[webfact]

Frenchman fleeced in Phuket banking bungle

NAUGHTY NAMESAKE: The 'real' Claude Prigent holds up his bank book in front of the Siam Commercial Bank branch at Chalong Circle.

CHALONG, PHUKET: -- A Frenchman is demanding damages from his Thai bank after it let another man with the same name empty his account of at least 164,000 baht.

One day last November, Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent walked into the Siam Commercial Bank branch in Chalong and asked for a new ATM card and bank book. The bank obliged.

But the 60-year-old Claude Prigent in the bank that day was not the 67-year-old Claude Prigent who held an account at the branch.

The older Claude Prigent has lived in Rawai for three years. He is balding, wears glasses and stands 1.68m tall.

The man who walked out with the card was 1.75m tall, with a full head of hair.

With his namesake’s ATM card in hand, the younger Claude Prigent made a series of withdrawals at ATMs in Phuket and Pattaya in November and December.

On January 16, he spent more than 16,000 baht on duty free goods in Suvarnabhumi Airport, then took a 16,000-baht flight to the Philippines.

In Manila he continued to empty Claude Prigent’s bank account, getting through at least 164,000 baht before his namesake realized anything was wrong.

The ‘real’ Claude Prigent initially put his rapidly dwindling funds down to his own festive overindulgence.

“I noticed at Christmas and New Year that I’d been going through a lot of cash. I thought, ‘best cut down on the spending’. But I didn’t realize someone else was spending the money for me,” he said.

On January 18, his card was rejected by a store in Phuket. When he checked his balance he was shocked to discover only 4,000 baht left.

He went to his branch the next day. The bank was quick to admit it was at fault, yet it refused to pay the money back straight away.

The Manager of the Siam Commercial Bank Branch at Hayek Chalong, Thurdsak Chusak, said the bank had to make sure the two men hadn’t colluded to defraud the bank.

While the bank’s board was deliberating over the case, Claude Prigent was having to rearrange his finances.

“Having my account blocked meant my retirement money could no longer be credited to my account. My French bank wanted a new account number, which they wouldn’t accept by fax. It took six weeks to sort out,” he said.

“Luckily I have another account in France to withdraw from, otherwise how could I have survived?” he added.

Eventually the bank got to the bottom of the affair.

Mr Thurdsak said Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent had tried to open an account at one of the bank’s branches on Koh Chang.

“A bank officer there told him there was another account under the same name in Phuket showing on the monitor,” he said.

“He probably tricked the officer into giving out more information about the account, like how much money was in it and where the branch was,” he said.

The man then filed a police report, saying he had lost his Siam Commercial Bank ATM card and bank book, Mr Thurdsak said.

Police report in hand, he walked into the Hayek Chalong Branch.

“The officer didn’t want to annoy the customer or inconvenience him any more, so he didn’t really look at the passport number,” Mr Thurdsak admitted.

Satisfied that Claude Prigent was indeed the victim of a crime, on February 24 Siam Commercial Bank credited his account with 164,000 baht.

Feeling this is not enough, the ‘real’ Claude Prigent wants compensation for the inconvenience the affair has caused him.

“Also, the banking system needs to clean up its act – there are cracks in their system,” he said.

Mr Thurdsak said the bank would set new regulations to prevent the same thing from happening again.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the mysterious Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent remain unknown.

Both Siam Commercial Bank and Claude Prigent agree he should face charges.

“We’ve told the police and immigration to lock him up right away if he ever comes to Thailand again,” Mr Thurdsak said.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-03-09

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[stevenl]

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the mysterious Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent remain unknown.

Both Siam Commercial Bank and Claude Prigent agree he should face charges.

“We’ve told the police and immigration to lock him up right away if he ever comes to Thailand again,” Mr Thurdsak said.

The real Claude Prigent had better watch out. he will be on some kind of watch list, and when he extends his visa or enters the country after leaving I would expect him to be arrested. And then he can explain that the other Claude Prigent is on the list, not him, etc.

[kurnell]

“The officer didn’t want to annoy the customer or inconvenience him any more, so he didn’t really look at the passport number,” Mr Thurdsak admitted.

Probably had his mind on what he was going to order for lunch.

[Cuban]

In this day and age is it too much to expect that banks the world over tackle identity theft and fraud by implementing some very simple (cheap) account holder file photograph along with the rest of the information they store at their finger tips. The technology exists and even the Thai passport check points at airports can cope with managing such a system.

[BigBikeBKK]

Ouch! Rather surprised the bank was so lax- in my experience with SCB they've always been quite conscientious about checking ID and making a copy of my passport every time even though I've been doing business at the same branch for years and know most of the staff by name.

Even so, consumer protection laws in Thailand are weak at best, so I never keep large sums of money in Thai accounts.

[jayjayjayjay]

"The officer didn't want to annoy the customer or inconvenience him any more, so he didn't really look at the passport number," Mr Thurdsak admitted.

Probably had his mind on what he was going to order for lunch.

but passport numbers change with the issuing of a new passport, so what's to say checking the passport is 100% fool proof

[ding]

"Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the mysterious Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent remain unknown.

...

“'We’ve told the police and immigration to lock him up right away if he ever comes to Thailand again,' Mr Thurdsak said."

Did he stay or did he go? Glad he got refunded, but doubt it's going to help him to pursue pain and suffering compensation.

[basjke]

In this day and age is it too much to expect that banks the world over tackle identity theft and fraud by implementing some very simple (cheap) account holder file photograph along with the rest of the information they store at their finger tips. The technology exists and even the Thai passport check points at airports can cope with managing such a system.

I am a member of california wow gym and every time I visit my picture will show up on their screen.

But banks don't use this technology yet.

[halfhead]

This appears to be a credit card not an atm card as reported

[richsilver]

What a minute, this does not add up! If the bank issued the impostor a new ATM card, they must have given him a new PIN at the same time. How could the real guy continue to use his old card (banks always cancel a card in the event of loss)? This was going on from November through the middle of January?

Something's not right here with this story!

[Norcan]

Can anyone called "Thurdsak" be taken seriously.

[Sisaketmike]

"The officer didn't want to annoy the customer or inconvenience him any more, so he didn't really look at the passport number," Mr Thurdsak admitted.

Probably had his mind on what he was going to order for lunch.

but passport numbers change with the issuing of a new passport, so what's to say checking the passport is 100% fool proof

Let me guess…..maybe date of birth, place of birth and so on…….

[miksguevara]

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the mysterious Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent remain unknown.

Both Siam Commercial Bank and Claude Prigent agree he should face charges.

"We've told the police and immigration to lock him up right away if he ever comes to Thailand again," Mr Thurdsak said.

The real Claude Prigent had better watch out. he will be on some kind of watch list, and when he extends his visa or enters the country after leaving I would expect him to be arrested. And then he can explain that the other Claude Prigent is on the list, not him, etc.

yeah but he hasn't actually done anything wrong the bank made the error like cash machines that started paying out money randomly in the uk...he shouldn't have spent all that money though 

[BigC]

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the mysterious Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent remain unknown.

Both Siam Commercial Bank and Claude Prigent agree he should face charges.

“We’ve told the police and immigration to lock him up right away if he ever comes to Thailand again,” Mr Thurdsak said.

The real Claude Prigent had better watch out. he will be on some kind of watch list, and when he extends his visa or enters the country after leaving I would expect him to be arrested. And then he can explain that the other Claude Prigent is on the list, not him, etc.

sounds like a pro. probably working on some other scam as we speak. in another name or in another country orin the same country. same thing happened to someone i know in england. they took 30 k pounds stirling. it is easier in the uk because u can get the cards sent by post. at least in thailand u have to go into the bank to get new card and pin and acc.

[TAWP]

yeah but he hasn't actually done anything wrong the bank made the error like cash machines that started paying out money randomly in the uk...he shouldn't have spent all that money though 

Actually, spending money you should have realized you didn't have access to goes under fraud laws and you are still accountable for it.

[ManilaLover]

A: Is Claude Prigent such a common combination of name and surname ???

B: How the 'fake' Claude Prigent knew the real Claude Prigent had an account there ?????????????

He doesn't look very clever anyway

Edited March 9, 2010 by ManilaLover

[metisdead]

A: Is Claude Prigent such a common combination of name and surname ???

B: How the 'fake' Claude Prigent knew the real Claude Prigent had an account there ?????????????

The answer to your question B:

Mr Thurdsak said Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent had tried to open an account at one of the bank’s branches on Koh Chang.

“A bank officer there told him there was another account under the same name in Phuket showing on the monitor,” he said.

[ScubaBuddha]

Can anyone called "Thurdsak" be taken seriously.

I now have a new favorite Thai name, replacing "Supaporn"

[Norcan]

Can anyone called "Thurdsak" be taken seriously.

I now have a new favorite Thai name, replacing "Supaporn"

Off topic (sorry) but we deal with a guy for business reasons here called....Tosspot! I kid you not!

[ScubaBuddha]

Why this is being reported as if the impostor has the same name as the victim, I don't know. Probably a combination of an attempt to save face by the bank and gullibility/ignorance on the part of the reporter/newspaper. It's obvious the impostor has stolen Mr. Priget's identity to commit the crime, a very common occurrence. I guarantee you the thief's real name is not also Claude Alfred Francois Marie Prigent. It's pretty ridiculous that that is what is being suggested.

Edited March 9, 2010 by ScubaBuddha

[PoorSucker]

This appears to be a credit card not an atm card as reported

Have you ever tried to get a Credit Card in Thailand?

SCB demands 100.000 baht in a locked account for a falang to get a credit card.

You can by a plane ticket at the office with the Debit/atm card.

Edited March 9, 2010 by PoorSucker

[tooninthai]

"The officer didn't want to annoy the customer or inconvenience him any more, so he didn't really look at the passport number," Mr Thurdsak admitted.

Probably had his mind on what he was going to order for lunch.

but passport numbers change with the issuing of a new passport, so what's to say checking the passport is 100% fool proof

At least with a good photocopy of his passport they would have had his details and a mug shot to go on.

[lensta]

Can anyone called "Thurdsak" be taken seriously.

I now have a new favorite Thai name, replacing "Supaporn"

Off topic (sorry) but we deal with a guy for business reasons here called....Tosspot! I kid you not!

I had a kid in a class once and his name was phallys

[Eff1n2ret]

Can anyone called "Thurdsak" be taken seriously.

I now have a new favorite Thai name, replacing "Supaporn"

Off topic (sorry) but we deal with a guy for business reasons here called....Tosspot! I kid you not!

I had a kid in a class once and his name was phallys

That must have been a particularly graphic biology lesson..

[robertson468]

Can anyone called "Thurdsak" be taken seriously.

He is the older brother of Fridsak

[Soutpeel]

SCB demands 100.000 baht in a locked account for a falang to get a credit card.

Not true in all cases...

[ratcatcher]

Can anyone called "Thurdsak" be taken seriously.

yes indeed sir, it was Turdsak's brother Chitsak who flung dung at P.M.Abhisit's residence.

[LivinLOS]

I have said before, the banks here are incredibly lax.. Pocket money only if it has an ATM connected.

My wife died, there was 150k or so in her account, I didnt have signing rights.. It was trivial to 'hack' the system and empty her account, anyone with double digit IQ could do it.

For my own account, I used to have to pay a 75k rent in cash each month, usually I would go in and take 80 or 100 out in a single go, they NEVER used to ask for ID, or anything, even new staff that had never seen me before, just present bank book, fill in a withdrawal slip, heres the cash.. The only check was to examine the signature in the back of the book in UV ink with the one on the slip.. Being of a mischievous mindset I started to do my sig a bit modified, then really modified, and then wildly different.. Not once did they ever challenge me.. Just handed over 100k of my cash to any farang that came in with my bank book.

[Kf6vci]

this is the bank that photocopied my ID with every single Euro banknote. Weird.

[asiawatcher]

“The officer didn’t want to annoy the customer or inconvenience him any more, so he didn’t really look at the passport number,” Mr Thurdsak admitted.

Probably had his mind on what he was going to order for lunch.

Jeez, I have been banking with this group for years and all they do is give me grief! They check my underwear before I can write a cheque. Phuket has always known to be a bit slack but surely, they could have checked 'signatures' as no bank here I know has a real pic, only a bad photocopy of the dude's passport.

BUT - A simple sign here and then the data base would have shown it to be fraud. C'mon SCB - fess up - you are at fault and pay da man!