Is This A New Scam?

[Wellington]

Went to top up mobile ,second floor Central, on Sunday and handed over 500bht, which is more than we normally use in a month.

tried to make a call today, and the 'phone told us we were out of funds.

We didn't watch the stallholder while he put in the money, so presume 400 bht went in his pocket.?

[LivinginKata]

Oh dear ... so you did not get a top-up number/with value to input into your own phone.

And on top-up you should get a message back with balance & validity.

[H2oDunc]

And just what stops you from buying your own credit and putting it on your phone yourself ?

You only have to push a few buttons and that way you cannot get scammed.

The trouble is people leave themselves wide open to getting ripped off for nothing.

With AIS it is simply *120* the number on either the scratch card or the till receipt followed by # and send. Not exactly rocket science is it ?

[Chalongian]

If you get credit in the mall they usually top your phone up this way, its normally just 7 11 and the likes where u get the voucher and do it yourself. Either way you should get a message telling you that your top up was successful and your new balance is ....... Now you know, don't leave until u get the message or go to 7 and DIY!

[pete600]

Just a though have you got GPRS on you phone. I had my Iphone set wrong it would keep checking for new emails. I did not have a internet Package so i was charged by the min.

Soon went through 500b

[katasyd]

If you have online banking (SCB) you can top it up yourself to any phone carrier.

Wouldn't do it any other way now.

[Spoonman]

With AIS it is simply *120* the number on either the scratch card or the till receipt followed by # and send. Not exactly rocket science is it ?

isnt the *120* prefix different on the printed out credit top ups ?

[katabeachbum]

OP, no its an old scam, started in Europe and the US a decade ago

Topping up you recieve a text message with your new balance and validity. Then you pay

[petercallen]

I used to get a printed card when topping up my phone which is easy to read.

Now i get a till receipt and have trouble reading the number and get the wife

if around or someone else to do the top up for me.

Sounds to me Wellington was scammed people do let there guard down

sometimes especially if they do not expect to be scammed.

Maybe we should have a pick on senior citizen day on the forum.

[Wellington]

I used to get a printed card when topping up my phone which is easy to read.

Now i get a till receipt and have trouble reading the number and get the wife

if around or someone else to do the top up for me.

Sounds to me Wellington was scammed people do let there guard down

sometimes especially if they do not expect to be scammed.

Maybe we should have a pick on senior citizen day on the forum.

Thanks for all advice

I'll try and take my glasses next time!

[Kernow86]

Just a though have you got GPRS on you phone. I had my Iphone set wrong it would keep checking for new emails. I did not have a internet Package so i was charged by the min.

Soon went through 500b

Same for me!

The OP should check this and of course always check that your account has been updated accordingly.

[Madivad]

Just a though have you got GPRS on you phone. I had my Iphone set wrong it would keep checking for new emails. I did not have a internet Package so i was charged by the min.

Soon went through 500b

Same for me!

The OP should check this and of course always check that your account has been updated accordingly.

Ditto, with 12Call, yeah? I did find a way to fix that in the profiles, but was awkward to use the net again, had to switch things in and off all the time. I ended up going with true, although, now wish I went with AIS or someone else, but true's speed isn't bad (as long as you're in the right area)

I refuse to use these "top up" ones where you give them your number, for various reasons, but not limited to:

1) the won't top up until you pay the money, ie the suggestion about waiting for the text message and then paying doesn't seem to work for me - must be my face

2) more and more places are doing it like this now, I had to recharge a DTAC card and went to both the local tesco and 7, and both would only do it this way, ie not give me cards, they wanted to directly credit my phone using this system

To the comment about Th SCB, can I ask, how do you do that? I'm interested to know myself, TIA

[stevenl]

1) the won't top up until you pay the money, ie the suggestion about waiting for the text message and then paying doesn't seem to work for me - must be my face

Wuithin 2 seconds, before you can even make a move to exit the shop, you'll have a text saying you have topped up your credit. So what is the problem?

[Madivad]

1) the won't top up until you pay the money, ie the suggestion about waiting for the text message and then paying doesn't seem to work for me - must be my face

Wuithin 2 seconds, before you can even make a move to exit the shop, you'll have a text saying you have topped up your credit. So what is the problem?

Just that when I asked if he would do the top up and then I pay, he said no. I even put the money on the counter. He wanted it in his til. I know what to expect here, if the text message didn't immediately come, he would likely claim, "oh the network is slow, it will come"... Not a chance I'm willing to take - not yet, anyway

If he had of left the money on the glass and did the transaction, I would have been happy. Message come, he take the money, I walk away. It just seemed too shonky for me. Ok, I have to move with the times. But for as long as I can get the scratchie cars, I'll go that way... But I am interested in hearing about how to do it with SCB.

[stevenl]

Just that when I asked if he would do the top up and then I pay, he said no. I even put the money on the counter. He wanted it in his til. I know what to expect here, if the text message didn't immediately come, he would likely claim, "oh the network is slow, it will come"... Not a chance I'm willing to take - not yet, anyway

If he had of left the money on the glass and did the transaction, I would have been happy. Message come, he take the money, I walk away. It just seemed too shonky for me. Ok, I have to move with the times. But for as long as I can get the scratchie cars, I'll go that way... But I am interested in hearing about how to do it with SCB.

You're afraid he'll take the money and you won't get credit, he is afraid you'll get your credit and take the money as well. Don't be so paranoid.

[katabeachbum]

1) the won't top up until you pay the money, ie the suggestion about waiting for the text message and then paying doesn't seem to work for me - must be my face

Wuithin 2 seconds, before you can even make a move to exit the shop, you'll have a text saying you have topped up your credit. So what is the problem?

Just that when I asked if he would do the top up and then I pay, he said no. I even put the money on the counter. He wanted it in his til. I know what to expect here, if the text message didn't immediately come, he would likely claim, "oh the network is slow, it will come"... Not a chance I'm willing to take - not yet, anyway

If he had of left the money on the glass and did the transaction, I would have been happy. Message come, he take the money, I walk away. It just seemed too shonky for me. Ok, I have to move with the times. But for as long as I can get the scratchie cars, I'll go that way... But I am interested in hearing about how to do it with SCB.

yeeeezz, I have topped up my 2 phones approx twice a month for 8 years, neve a ploblem

only problem I have had was invoice phone, invoice always arrived by post week after due so phone closed on occasions, back to prepayed. post better in kata now, at least twice a week

[Wellington]

Well, we had a happy ending

Went in today and the Thai guy in the stall was very helpful and checked his records, and then agreed to put 500 bht in our 'phone .

But said if it happened again we had to report it within 24 hours

So smiles all round.

[katabeachbum]

Well, we had a happy ending

Went in today and the Thai guy in the stall was very helpful and checked his records, and then agreed to put 500 bht in our 'phone .

But said if it happened again we had to report it within 24 hours

So smiles all round.

happy ending

[Madivad]

Don't be so paranoid.

It's really hard not to be. I just got fkd over again today by Thais. Told a taxi counter at airport where I wanted to go. Told the taxi driver where I wanted to go. When we pulled up I told him this is the wrong place. He assured me it was correct. Tour operator came out and stated point blank, catch the ferry here. Taxi driver departed.

Went inside, I asked the guy three times, "the ferry comes here?" He answered different questions. Anyway paid for the tickets. And I said, "where do I catch theferry?" he replied, "bus come, half hour, ferry 5 kilo".

Thanks mate, you've rekindled my faith in Thais yet again (not you; the counter, the taxi driver, and the tour operator).

Funny how they don't understand English when you need them to, but when they need you to understand their English is amazing.

Ok, I've vented. I don't really feel any better...

Get me to the beach. Krabi, 37 degrees right now (or it was when I left the airport)...

I still haven't use one of those Internet based phone top ups yet. Yeah, I'm paranoid. But I'll get over it.

[BangTaoBoy]

Don't be so paranoid.

It's really hard not to be. I just got fkd over again today by Thais. Told a taxi counter at airport where I wanted to go. Told the taxi driver where I wanted to go. When we pulled up I told him this is the wrong place. He assured me it was correct. Tour operator came out and stated point blank, catch the ferry here. Taxi driver departed.

Went inside, I asked the guy three times, "the ferry comes here?" He answered different questions. Anyway paid for the tickets. And I said, "where do I catch theferry?" he replied, "bus come, half hour, ferry 5 kilo".

Thanks mate, you've rekindled my faith in Thais yet again (not you; the counter, the taxi driver, and the tour operator).

Funny how they don't understand English when you need them to, but when they need you to understand their English is amazing.

Ok, I've vented. I don't really feel any better...

Get me to the beach. Krabi, 37 degrees right now (or it was when I left the airport)...

I still haven't use one of those Internet based phone top ups yet. Yeah, I'm paranoid. But I'll get over it.

If you had used the meter taxis, you wouldn't have had to pay until you got to the other end. The driver would soon take you to where you wanted to go if he wasn't going to get paid until he did!

Although this kind of thing is annoying, please stop referring to Thais in their entirety. People would soon have the hump if I came on here calling all Americans fat and loud, all Scots tight as a gnats chuff, all French people smelly and all Irish folk, drunks. (well except the last one, even Paddies are happy to admit that their all drunks)

Being angry is understandable, being racist (all be it only slightly) is not.

[billythehat]

If you had used the meter taxis, you wouldn't have had to pay until you got to the other end. The driver would soon take you to where you wanted to go if he wasn't going to get paid until he did!

Although this kind of thing is annoying, please stop referring to Thais in their entirety. People would soon have the hump if I came on here calling all Americans fat and loud, all Scots tight as a gnats chuff, all French people smelly and all Irish folk, drunks. (well except the last one, even Paddies are happy to admit that their all drunks)

Being angry is understandable, being racist (all be it only slightly) is not.

"even Paddies are happy to admit that their all drunks"

"being racist (all be it only slightly) is not"

Quite ironic really...:jerk:

[Madivad]

Being angry is understandable, being racist (all be it only slightly) is not.

I prefer "stereotyping", I do tend to tar all with the same brush from time to time. If I were a racist, I doubt I would have married one.

About the taxi meter, I am a firm believer in them but again the last few airports I've been to don't have them, and even when we found the number for the radio room we were still given a flat rate fare. And the taxi driver this morning, I kid you not, you should have heard the reasons fir not activating the meter... OMG! But would that make me racist against taxi drivers? I do talk in jest.

I do think people are generally over sensitive these days and are too quick to brand someone a racist (even ever so slightly). But I think the difference is if there is a hatred borne from it as well. I certainly don't hate Thais, but I certainly don't like some professions within the culture. I think there's a big difference.

Anyway, I've been in the pool now and cooled off. Time to see if there are any paddies rolling around the streets here (certainly do hope I don't catch them havin a pee here! lol)

[BangTaoBoy]

If you had used the meter taxis, you wouldn't have had to pay until you got to the other end. The driver would soon take you to where you wanted to go if he wasn't going to get paid until he did!

Although this kind of thing is annoying, please stop referring to Thais in their entirety. People would soon have the hump if I came on here calling all Americans fat and loud, all Scots tight as a gnats chuff, all French people smelly and all Irish folk, drunks. (well except the last one, even Paddies are happy to admit that their all drunks)

Being angry is understandable, being racist (all be it only slightly) is not.

"even Paddies are happy to admit that their all drunks"

"being racist (all be it only slightly) is not"

Quite ironic really...:jerk:

Firstly, that isn't irony. (Very miss used word) Hypocrisy if anything. Secondly, something being said in jest and something being said through ignorance can hardly be compared. I would hardly expect you, with your constant derogative, obnoxious way of referring to Thai people (somchai) to understand. If ever there was a TV member with a chip on his shoulder and an inferiority complex about Thai people, it's you.

Being angry is understandable, being racist (all be it only slightly) is not.

I prefer "stereotyping", I do tend to tar all with the same brush from time to time. If I were a racist, I doubt I would have married one.

About the taxi meter, I am a firm believer in them but again the last few airports I've been to don't have them, and even when we found the number for the radio room we were still given a flat rate fare. And the taxi driver this morning, I kid you not, you should have heard the reasons fir not activating the meter... OMG! But would that make me racist against taxi drivers? I do talk in jest.

I do think people are generally over sensitive these days and are too quick to brand someone a racist (even ever so slightly). But I think the difference is if there is a hatred borne from it as well. I certainly don't hate Thais, but I certainly don't like some professions within the culture. I think there's a big difference.

Anyway, I've been in the pool now and cooled off. Time to see if there are any paddies rolling around the streets here (certainly do hope I don't catch them havin a pee here! lol)

Fair comment mate. You're obviously not racist, and I didn't really think you were. It's just tedious hearing people talk negatively about Thai people collectively, when they have very little experience of Thai people. Obviously that isn't the case with you being married to a Thai, but the poster above is a perfect example. He isn't married to a Thai, doesn't live in Thailand (don't think he ever has) and other than a few holidays to Bangla road, I would suggest knows very little about Thai people. Yet he will jump at the first chance to slag of Thai people. Very sad and strange behaviour indeed.

Hope you and the misses have a god trip.

[Wellington]

Fair comment mate. You're obviously not racist, and I didn't really think you were. It's just tedious hearing people talk negatively about Thai people collectively, when they have very little experience of Thai people. Obviously that isn't the case with you being married to a Thai, but the poster above is a perfect example. He isn't married to a Thai, doesn't live in Thailand (don't think he ever has) and other than a few holidays to Bangla road, I would suggest knows very little about Thai people. Yet he will jump at the first chance to slag of Thai people. Very sad and strange behaviour indeed.

Hope you and the misses have a god trip.

Why;? Are they going to Heaven

[Derifo]

If you get credit in the mall they usually top your phone up this way, its normally just 7 11 and the likes where u get the voucher and do it yourself. Either way you should get a message telling you that your top up was successful and your new balance is ....... Now you know, don't leave until u get the message or go to 7 and DIY!

7 - 11s do the online thing, too. It happened to me on Friday. I went in and bought credit online, went out and threw away the receipt. Tried to make a call a minute later, but was told I didn't have any credit. I walked back, found my receipt in the bin, went back in, and sorted it out.