Strange Phone Call From A Bangkok-Based Farang

[Thongkorn]

Don't hang up on them , Just agree with them and say you would like to invest a lot of money in there Company , ask them for there bank account number and pin so you can immediately put some big money in there account. Then go and draw out as much as you want from there account , Dont think it will happen so how.

Edited December 23, 2010 by Thongkorn

[Mossfinn]

Hmmm just got a call today from someone working for Infinity.Any1 heard of them.

Nice One

[Livinginexile]

There are indeed a number of firms that specialize in marketing to expats that make cold calls to numbers they get by various means. Often is actually someone in your office that has passed on your number. This is true in every country I have worked in.

Most are not scams and I have a number of friends that swear by various companies that have helped them accumulate retirement funds very successfully.

I am surprised that if the OP has worked overseas for any length of tune he has not run into this before.

TH

Yeah right!

[Carib]

It starts with a phone call.....

http://www.thailandstories.com/article/articles/inside-the-boiler-room.html

[changnaam]

It starts with a phone call.....

http://www.thailands...oiler-room.html

There seems to be a huge misunderstanding between the link above (usually targetting people outside thailand) and financial services companies in Bangkok. You can debate all day on the pluses and minuses of these companies but there are some very good ones with some very good advisors who do a good job for their clients. Unfortunately there are operators who do put their own interests before that of their clients but it is up to the individual to do their own due diligence on the person who they are dealing with before getting into any arrangement.

I would agree with points made before:

i) The legit companies are offering schemes with major banks / financial institutions and will act as a broker.

ii) The good operators will review your investment with you regularly.

iii) There are many people happy with services provided by GOOD financial advisors and there are good ones in Bangkok but I would say most of the people who have little time and are prepared to pay for the services of a financial advisor also do not have time trawl through web forums so you do not see a blanced view on here.

There are two sides to every story but I do think lumping boiler rooms and financial services companies together is not really painting a true picture.

[alantheembalmer]

When I had my own company in the UK, I got a lot of cold calls on a daily basis, and I mean a LOT.

I developed a line that worked very well: I just kept repeating "I don't give any information to cold callers". This was all I said when asked any question by the caller. In the end they just gave up and rarely called back, and it saved me from being rude, which I don't like doing. It also works just as well if anyone calls at your home, or you are stopped in the street by people doing surveys, etc.

[Loz]

best line. i'm busy right now. give me your mobile and i'll call you back later. oh, you don't want to be disturbed in you free time? now you know how i feel. (hang up). failing that, two words: rape whistle.

[kaorop]

<br /> Not a saying this particular case is a scam or a valid investment opportunity, but many legitimate investment brokers use cold calls.  The telephone numbers of the people being approached are collected, collated, and sold to the companies making the pitch.<br /><br />My dad spent many years after working at his main job all day in a second job pitching commodities at night.  It was a thankless, time-consuming, and frustrating job at which he made very little.  But with our family finances, every little bit helped.  This was all done for a third-tier, but real investment firm.<br /><br />Regardless, legit or scam, I don't accept any cold calls and tell the caller so before hanging up.<br />

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

?????????

"my dad did it"

paraphrasing

"i'd dump him on his ass"

lol

[rgs2001uk]

<br /> Not a saying this particular case is a scam or a valid investment opportunity, but many legitimate investment brokers use cold calls. The telephone numbers of the people being approached are collected, collated, and sold to the companies making the pitch.<br /><br />My dad spent many years after working at his main job all day in a second job pitching commodities at night. It was a thankless, time-consuming, and frustrating job at which he made very little. But with our family finances, every little bit helped. This was all done for a third-tier, but real investment firm.<br /><br />Regardless, legit or scam, I don't accept any cold calls and tell the caller so before hanging up.<br />

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

?????????

"my dad did it"

paraphrasing

"i'd dump him on his ass"

lol

From my UK stockbrokers web page,

"Q. What do I do if someone calls me out of the blue offering shares in a company I've never heard of at a bargain price?

A. Hang up. On no account part with any cash. No reputable UK stockbroker is allowed to "cold call" you in this fashion and so it is highly likely that you are being targeted by a fraudster. If you are being troubled by this type of call consider moving your holdings into our nominee service so that your details will no longer appear on company share registers (from where many fraudsters can legitimately obtain information)."