African Street Scammers In Thailand

[Sing_Sling]

It is not about RACE, some people like to play that card everytime it suits them.

It is a fact !

Here we go again . . . just because you repeat it time and again doesn't make it so. Back up your 'facts' with some credible sources and it may yet turn out to be 'fact', irrespective of which ethnic group is being discussed.

[zorro1]

who cares? Your in control of your own life if not then take control . If an Indian, Thai, or Nigerian male pulls up alongside me and asks "are you on holiday sir" I say ITS--NOT--YOUR --BUSINESS

99% of these men are not looking for a new farang friend.

[Naam]

These guys will try every trick in the book...

only with suckers!

[Naam]

That would be great. It would be fantastic to make everyone more aware of all the different scams being tried on people here. The "white man" scams as you call them are often a bit more clever and credulous, involve larger sums of money as people pointed out, and involve more layers of deception. They also target their victims more selectively using certain profiles and are far more fewer between in general. Which is good.

The problem with the Africans unfortunately is the sheer numbers of them coming into Thailand now with the pure intention of doing something illegal which is the purpose of pointing out the issue in this post and what makes them a bigger problem in general.

you seem to be an expert on research. therefore my question "how many Africans did you interview and how many admitted that they came to Thailand with the intention of doing something illegal?"

my other question is "why do you find it good that white men target their scam victims more selectively?"

waiting patiently for answers which supersede the bullshit² you presented above

[sanook2me]

Funny,

this takes me back to my years travelling on Business in the UK. Used to know which service stations I'd be offered some hot designer watch that had just been on display at a watch show and I could get it well under the advertised price (ad in the magazine that they had handy...)

I already had a watch. So what about one for your girlfriend? Well, no thanks, she works for Patek Philippe so we are both fine for watches thanks.

Not so much an inconvenience as a little distraction on an otherwise purposeful day. But yes, you could see the boss man in the rented Merc going around the carpark looking for fresh punters.

And what about those pikeys who would take over an abbandoned shop and run an auction for worthless crap that you only caught a glimps of. I remember waiting for a good 20 minutes as a kid to get an SLR camera from these fools. turns out it looked like an SLR but was infact a regular peice of crappola!

I've never bought a TV and got home to find out it was a box of bricks, but it looks funny when the pull that stuff on telly!

Leave the boys alone. The real crooks are in parliaments all over the world. They just have a better patter.

I got done by the watch from the motorshow scam...on the service station just outside of London on the M1 about 15 years ago..

£80 quid for a shit watch in a nice box that the gold wore off in a few weeks...I was so dumb....i even let the guy walk with me to the ATM to get enough cash out...

not racist but they were black and dressed smartly sitting in BMW.... and yes they had the magazine with the watch in....

Once bitten.... never again.... not a real expensive rip off but i got stitched..

Yes. I also went to a £5 entry auction in a hotel and watching people buy black bin liners full of electronic stuff...but luckily my internal warning system kicked in before i got wrapped up in the frenzy of it and walked out....the big boys on the door didn't want to open it to let me out but i was young, fit and a little gobby so i got my way....

These are two scams from England...lets face it....if it sounds too good to be true...it is....say no thanks and walk on.....

[hazz]

I must hang out in the wrong places as I have never been accosted by one of these 419 scammers in thailand, but I do have experience of them on the internet though thescambaiter as well as 419hell, 419eater.com.

Wether on the internet or on the street these scammers are have a few precious resources, their self confidence and limited hours in a day, I think its perfectly reasonable to get into vigilantism that tries to damage the former and waste the latter. This is much easier on the internet; getting a scammer to meet me and a bag full of cash, inevitably, at lagos airport only takes 10 minutes of my time, but deprives the scammer of a day of scamming.

When someone does try a street con on me, if I have the time, I will play the gullible fool for 10-15 minutes and then try to blow them off in a way that makes them feel they are not up to the job without letting them know I see them for what they are. If enough people waste their time then they have problems making a living.

If you want a laugh, read some of these completed scams where the scammers recived cookers, fridges and toilets rather than the boxes of laptops they were expecting. the death threats are good: "YOU ARE DEAD YOU WILL SAY THAT WE ARE GITH AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE FRAUD.NOW WE HAVE SEEN YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER TOO SO WE CAN GET THEM.WE KNOW THAT THEY LIVE IN A HOUSE TO NOW ABD YOUR FATHERIS A MALE MAN AND YOUR MOTHER IS NOT.

[somtampet]

Not read all the posts but i dont think the only scammers in Bangkok are black.

[hughben]

what is the problem

i walk thru the area many times.

they dont bother you. if they were a problem im sure the thais would chase them away as its right in the middle of a tourist district.

Well I don't agree.

A couple of years ago I had the misfortune of walking down the Soi that you go through on Soi 3 to get to Gullivers.

To say the atmosphere was intense would have been an understatement.

This was around midnight.

I was dressed in shoes, shirt, and trousers.

And I wear my hair very short as it is slowly thinning out.

I walked past a group of Africans and made eye contact. A few didn't care but a couple looked at me and I knew immediately I wasn't welcome.

I was asked in a very aggressive tone with over exaggerated arms swinging,

"Why do you come down here you fuc_king skinhead."

To which I found strange and felt like telling the ignorant prick it wasn't 1980. I just walked on and looked away.

Then one said, "fuc_k you, this is our street only Africans here".

I wasn't looking back, but I was preparing to run, but a Taxi driver passed them and something was said. I looked back to see the taxi driver exit the car with a bat of sorts and started arguing with them.

I walked off relived.

I haven't walked down the soi at night since nor have any plans to.

[zorro1]

I walk down soi 3 sometimes very very late at night. Great for an adrenalin rush especially right at the end of the soi where that bar is... even the dogs look petrified

[sangfroid]

what is the problem

i walk thru the area many times.

they dont bother you. if they were a problem im sure the thais would chase them away as its right in the middle of a tourist district.

Well I don't agree.

A couple of years ago I had the misfortune of walking down the Soi that you go through on Soi 3 to get to Gullivers.

To say the atmosphere was intense would have been an understatement.

This was around midnight.

I was dressed in shoes, shirt, and trousers.

And I wear my hair very short as it is slowly thinning out.

I walked past a group of Africans and made eye contact. A few didn't care but a couple looked at me and I knew immediately I wasn't welcome.

I was asked in a very aggressive tone with over exaggerated arms swinging,

"Why do you come down here you fuc_king skinhead."

To which I found strange and felt like telling the ignorant prick it wasn't 1980. I just walked on and looked away.

Then one said, "fuc_k you, this is our street only Africans here".

I wasn't looking back, but I was preparing to run, but a Taxi driver passed them and something was said. I looked back to see the taxi driver exit the car with a bat of sorts and started arguing with them.

I walked off relived.

I haven't walked down the soi at night since nor have any plans to.

It's a rat's nest in there. The cops used to exterminate them at regular intervals but seem to have lost interest lately.

Wasn't it in on a TV forum that a guy reported having had a conversation with the Nigerian Ambassador. A lady IIRC. he asked her how many Nigerian were in Bangkok and she replied 100's ..and they are nearly all in jail. The Nigerian government once chartered a 747 to take a load of them home!!

Edited April 5, 2010 by sangfroid

[bendejo]

The people who are quick to call others racist/bigot/et al are the ones fixated on race, thereby qualifying for the racist label themselves, at the expense of the poor b_astard they have pointed their attack at. It's like being mugged, and when the police pop up the robber starts screaming that YOU are the thief. Me? How can you call me that, can't you see the high moral ground I'm standing on? Wise up, folks, this one became popular in the late 1960s, it's time for it to expire.

And that is what these very nice men who approach me in Bangkok call me when I dodge their game. I can't tell if they're from Iceland or Nigeria.

I am trying to start a philanthropy for fighting racism worldwide. I have the money, but right now it's tied up by the courts and I need to pay the lawyers in advance to get my hands on it. If you can help me with a cash advance we can fight this abomination together as bruddas. PM me your bank account number and all the info I need to access it, and I'll name the foundation after you. Only a racist would ignore this offer.

On a recent visa run to Vientiane I got to talking with a fellow staying at the same hotel, an African-American, never been in these parts before, just on a few weeks holiday. I warned him about how he'll get approached by Nigerian bruddas (their Vientiane hq is a cafe along the river called Shade Tree (no not a pun!)). I ran into him that evening and he thanked me for the heads-up, said he got approached three times that day.

Edited April 5, 2010 by bendejo

[bonobo]

It is a shame when one nation becomes the face for a crime like scamming.  I have three very close Nigerian friends, and they each almost scream with frustration when the subject comes up.  They are harder on their less-than-honorable countrymen than any non-Nigerian can be.  

For me, these scammers are just criminals.  But for my friends, these scammers go beyond that by bringing down the reputation of an entire nation.  One of these my friends, in particular, is about the most honorable man I know, yet when he tells someone he is from Nigeria, he immediately becomes suspect.

Pretty sad situation.

[bangon04]

It is not about RACE, some people like to play that card everytime it suits them.

It is a fact !

Here we go again . . . just because you repeat it time and again doesn't make it so. Back up your 'facts' with some credible sources and it may yet turn out to be 'fact', irrespective of which ethnic group is being discussed.

One of the negative aspects about this for me is:

Any time 2 Africans (usually 2 together) speak to me anywhere from Soi 3 to Soi 19, I automatically catch myself thinking:

"Your lips are moving so you must be trying to scam me, I just don't know how yet"

One day an African tourist might genuinely ask me for help, but I will assume it is a scam anyway.

[powderpuff]

This whole thing is going to blow up in the face of the Thai gov't someday.

Possibly they like a flourishing heroin trade on Soi 3 & Soi 3/1. Most likely some influential person sponsors these trash & let them stay for years on end without visas.

I have heard the virus has spread to Thonglor & Ekkamai. Tonight I counted 7 of them on Onnut Soi 44. Getting off Songtows.

It's an insult to those of us who jump through hoops to stay here legally without pimping & dealing drugs.

Edited April 5, 2010 by powderpuff

[somtampet]

Bangkok sounds a lovely place,not only red shirts,pollution,high humidity,rats the size of cats,we have some lovely non white scammers

[smokie36]

Bangkok sounds a lovely place,not only red shirts,pollution,high humidity,rats the size of cats,we have some lovely non white scammers

There are a few white scammers out there too somtampet...just to throw you off the scent.

[JohnnyJohn]

<br />This whole thing is going to blow up in the face of the Thai gov't someday.<br /><br />Possibly they like a flourishing heroin trade on Soi 3 & Soi 3/1. Most likely some influential person sponsors these trash & let them stay for years on end without visas.<br /><br />I have heard the virus has spread to Thonglor & Ekkamai. Tonight I counted 7 of them on Onnut Soi 44. Getting off Songtows.<br /><br />It's an insult to those of us who jump through hoops to stay here legally without pimping & dealing drugs.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

You raise some other points about the situation which are spot on. The thing I am fearing is that once they get such a strong foot hole in here it becomes much more difficult to get them out. If the local power figures dealt with it more now (and weren't so short cited about the financial benefits) then this problem could be squashed before it gets any worse. Even the Bangkok Post had a recent article titled "Bangkok's Sleazy Street of Shame" that brought some of this to light. If you Google it you can find it.

What this post has done though (with over 2,000 hits already) has certainly made many people more aware. Awareness is half the battle and that was the main purpose of my starting this discussion.

[saorsa]

Anyone who gets taken in by these scams is an idiot...the only reason these scams work is greed...they offer something for nothing and too many gullible idiots think that is really possible. Nothing is for nothing!!

I worked in West Africa for a few years (note, Nigeria, Ghana, etc are West Africa, not North) in the oil business and after a while it is easy to spot the scammers from the genuine guys (and I met quite a few genuine guys who just wanted to have a beer, pay their own way and chat to someone not from Africa). I even managed to hitch hike back to my hotel in Luanda, Angola at 2am after losing all my money in the casino down Miami Beach without problems.

As for them selling drugs at soi 13...who does that hurt? I have walked past there without ever being hassled. If someone wants to buy something and someone else is willing to take the risk (pay the bribes) and sell them it, then it is simple market forces. Not any problem that I can see.

[Gluestick]

We need someone like Batman to come and clean up all this junk. I'm not racist. I don't like everyone equally. I have been down that soi a few times and haven't had any trouble. My adrenaline does kick in a bit more than normal though. That's probably the normal reaction I get due to how I have grown up. I hate to admit it but I am more careful when I am surrounded by blacks than people of other skin color. I have black friends but they are basically white washed. I admit that I am a banana as well.

[somtampet]

Bangkok sounds a lovely place,not only red shirts,pollution,high humidity,rats the size of cats,we have some lovely non white scammers

There are a few white scammers out there too somtampet...just to throw you off the scent.

Not in Bangkok i dont believe you

[hawthorne]

Johnnyjon it is good you made people aware of the scams. Agreed though that greed leads many people to do things they normally would not. Still does not give the right to scam (steal) someone.

It is good to remind people of these scams it reminds us to be vigilant.

[smokie36]

Bangkok sounds a lovely place,not only red shirts,pollution,high humidity,rats the size of cats,we have some lovely non white scammers

There are a few white scammers out there too somtampet...just to throw you off the scent.

Not in Bangkok i dont believe you

No you're right somtampet you can trust every white face in Bangkok. All of us are rich expats so why would we scam an unsuspecting tourist?

Good luck mate.

[whistleblower]

Bangkok sounds a lovely place,not only red shirts,pollution,high humidity,rats the size of cats,we have some lovely non white scammers

There are a few white scammers out there too somtampet...just to throw you off the scent.

Not in Bangkok i dont believe you

No you're right somtampet you can trust every white face in Bangkok. All of us are rich expats so why would we scam an unsuspecting tourist?

Good luck mate.

He dont live in Bangkok Smokie, if you read his other posts he is an ex 50k (pounds) a year man with all the knowledge of Bangkok without living here. So he must be right!

[smokie36]

He dont live in Bangkok Smokie, if you read his other posts he is an ex 50k (pounds) a year man with all the knowledge of Bangkok without living here. So he must be right!

Sadly all my trips to Bangkok over the past 10 years including living there for months on end have poorly prepared me for the political onslaught whistleblower.

God help this poor bloke!

Edited April 5, 2010 by smokie36

[sokal]

For all the posters here talking about racism, making jokes about black people in general, and who can't come up with anything intelligent to add to this post, my wife is of ethnic African descent and does no appreciate all the comments.

The African street scam that my African American friend was taken by 6-7 years ago is a text-book scam called the Black Money Scam (as noted in my original post). It is in itself a form of advance fee fraud. The format and modality of securing the advance fee from the victim is irrelevant as I mentioned before. The black money scam is just one of many techniques used, but one of the best adapted as a street scam so it is widely used on the streets of Bangkok. The fact that my friend paid cash in advance as a fee to one of these African scammers in excess of $10,000 and lost it is what makes it advance fee fraud. The definition of the Black Money Scam according to Wikipedia is as follows:

"The black money scam, sometimes also known as the 'wash wash scam', is a scam where con artists attempt to fraudulently obtain money from a victim by persuading him or her that piles of banknote-sized paper in a trunk or a safe is really money which has been dyed black (e.g. to avoid detection by customs). The victim is persuaded to pay for chemicals to wash the "money" with a promise that he will share in the proceeds. The black money scam first appeared around the year 2000. It is yet another variation of what is known as advance fee fraud."

You can read the rest of it on Wikipedia.

Its is unreal, I seriously find it hard to believe that people are intellectually depleted enough to fall for these lame scams. I think if the people these guys are dealing with are that stupid then they deserve everything they get.

BTW I agree with all of your points

[bonobo]

Posts have been deleted for derogatory remarks about nationalities, ethnic groups, and religions.

This is a tough subject on which to post.  Writing about Bangkok scammers who come from Nigeria is one thing, but projecting that to "All Nigerians this," "All Africans that," or "All Black people whatever," crosses the boundary and is in violation of ThaiVisa posting regulations.

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

Please keep that in mind as you write your posts.

Thanks.

[geriatrickid]

Just a side note: Count your blessings that you do not need to live as these scammers do. The stress, the fear, the daily shakedown, the hand to mouth existence. Do you call that living? No matter how bad my day, I remind myself there are those less fortunate than I. Everytime a tout from Absolute bothers me (they are literally swarming in Patong), I just say to myself, thank providence I have something that does not oblige me to do that.

[bonobo]

Just a side note: Count your blessings that you do not need to live as these scammers do. The stress, the fear, the daily shakedown, the hand to mouth existence. Do you call that living? No matter how bad my day, I remind myself there are those less fortunate than I. Everytime a tout from Absolute bothers me (they are literally swarming in Patong), I just say to myself, thank providence I have something that does not oblige me to do that.

The same thought continually crosses my mind when I see the touts of all ilk myself.

[Naam]

Posts have been deleted for derogatory remarks about nationalities, ethnic groups, and religions.

This is a tough subject on which to post.  Writing about Bangkok scammers who come from Nigeria is one thing, but projecting that to "All Nigerians this," "All Africans that," or "All Black people whatever," crosses the boundary and is in violation of ThaiVisa posting regulations.

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

Please keep that in mind as you write your posts.

Thanks.

that was about time!

[Naam]

This whole thing is going to blow up in the face of the Thai gov't someday.

Possibly they like a flourishing heroin trade on Soi 3 & Soi 3/1. Most likely some influential person sponsors these trash & let them stay for years on end without visas.

I have heard the virus has spread to Thonglor & Ekkamai. Tonight I counted 7 of them on Onnut Soi 44. Getting off Songtows.

It's an insult to those of us who jump through hoops to stay here legally without pimping & dealing drugs.

someday... possibly... most likely...i have heard... it's an insult...