Phuket Timeshare Scam!

[westozzie]

Has anybody been approached by Thai Guys in suits handing out instant scratch prize tickets in Patong?

Last month a Thai guy in a suit approached me on Beach RD Patong and handed me a instant prize ticket and told me that "the local hotels in Phuket in conjuction with VISA/AMEX where giving away cash and prizes to lure tourists back to Phuket post Tsunami". Anyhow when I scratched the ticket to my surprise I had revealed 3 super prize icons which meant I had won either of the following:

1) A holiday to the value of 20,000 BHT

2) 20,000 BHT in cash

3) Sony digital camera

Anyhow the guy advised me that he would escort me to the promotion office to pick up my prize and that the promoters would pay him a fee for taking a major prize winner back to the office and on collection he would get 200BHT. Anyhow I must admit I was a little sceptical so I asked the guy "Where is the catch here?" He told me QUOTE " Sir it is 100% legimate there are no catches it is your lucky day""havent we heard that phrase before?" Anyhow after arriving at the Hotel where the promotion was being held I was ushered into a room alone with the so called Prize C-ordinator thinking I was getting a prize.

The cordinator congratulated me and asked me if I would kindly take a tour of the hotel while they where processing the paperwork to release my prize "20,000bht". Anyhow a so called Tour guide "English Fellow" tried to befriend me as we where walking upstairs to a room of discussion tables. At first I didnt get wind of what was about to evolve It simply looked like a bunch of people chatting over coffee!

Anyhow after 15 minutes or so with this fellow he started to demand I give him 450K for a TIME SHARE APARTMENT as it was QUOTE" The opportunity of a lifetime".

Now I had exposed the motive I looked around and to my delight (NOT) I discovered about 15 other tourists getting hammered by Farangs on the same deal. Never the less I held my ground and said I am not interested which was not good enough for the persistant salesman.

When he realised I was hard work he then brought over the manager another "farang" and he had a crack at me as well. So now I have 2 guys hammering me to depart with 450k this went on for a whole hour or so going back and forth and round in circles. Finally they gave up and told me that they would escort me downstairs to pick up my prize and thanked me for my time.

At this stage I am just about at boiling point becasue I have been worked to the max to buy into this "Once in a lifetime opportunity!"but I kept my cool because I was about to recive my 20,000bht prize.

When I went to collect my prize I was told by the co-ordinator that becasue I didnt officially complete the tour with the guide after I had greed to it I was not eligible to collect my prize and the B..tch handed me a promotional T-Shirt and said I hope there are no had feelings. I refused to accept the Tshirt and gave her a piece of my mind and said "this would not be the last of this!". It gets better it cost me 120bht to get back to where I started from on Beach Rd and by this time I had wasted nearly 2 hours.

I was wondering if there are any Thai consumer protection laws against misleading conduct by legitimate business operating misleading marketing SCAMS?

This would be detrimental to the image Phuket has post Tsunami no doubt! when I was in the CLOSING ROOM so to speak I witnessed some people sweating immensley by these Farangs that where hammering them un relentingly to make a decision on the spot to pay 450K. I swear it was a room of nervous holiday makers and no different to some "USED CAR SALES LOTS come in sucker!"

Some of these people especially the ones that survived the tactical on slaught of cunning high pressure sales tactics will never return back to Patong. I think what these companies are doing is criminal the last thing I want to do when I am on holiday or visiting friends is to get verbally hammered by cunning non relenting sales people its a real shame that people can take advantage of others in this way! and I believe it needs to be stamped out all together there needs to be a line drawn in the san so to speak!

I have no doubt some tourists where forced into buying something they wouldnt either use or didnt even want but hey I bet the salesperson can sleep at night while he is counting his commission. Its a ###### shame you cant be left alone to enjoy yourself without some cunning sales person be-friending with you with a hidden agenda!

Where is the line here? When does it get to the point when you have to be either rude, threatening or blunt to be left alone. I would like to know what others think about sales ethic and what you would do in this situation? i know one thing if this went on in Australia and other countries the materminds behind this scheme would get fined and even possibly arrested for misreprentation there business would be closed down.

Dont take me wrong alot of my mates and friends are sales people but the difference is they have a conscience not like these ass h..les selling Time-Share.

Thoughts Please!

[Sir Burr]

You should have told them that if they didn't give you the promised 20,000 Bht, you would go to immigration and inform them that you suspected that none of these farang had work-permits.

Edited October 10, 2005 by Sir Burr

[Thaipwriter]

this sounds pretty normal, no big deal, just tell them to f&ck off nicely.

Where was the 20,000 baht holiday to? Blackpool?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You should have told them that if they didn't give you the promised 20,000 Bht, you would go to immigration and inform them that you suspected that none of these farang had work-permits.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Work permits ... on timeshare sales

[britmaveric]

Scampy might be able to provide some insight on this - he tried this out before the carnival gig. (wasnt his cup of tea)

[madmitch]

You should have told them that if they didn't give you the promised 20,000 Bht, you would go to immigration and inform them that you suspected that none of these farang had work-permits.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know the location. Shop 'em!

[Phuket electrician]

Nice to hear the amazed disgust of this tourist at the antics in Patong. Does the individual have a moral objection to prostitution, copyright infringement, child labour, illegal immigrants, drug-dealers and users, paedophiles? All activities condoned by the local authority daily. Visitors to Phuket head for Patong for these very reasons and enjoy the lawlessness of the place and then whinge when they are taken in through naivety. You live and learn and hopefully return home with a little more wisdom than you arrived with.

[slackula]

You can complain to the cops, I know for a fact they recently had a mini crack-down on this activity (using anti gambling laws I believe). I meet a few people annoyed by this scam daily

[jimbob]

Nice to hear the amazed disgust of this tourist at the antics in Patong.  Does the individual have a moral objection to prostitution, copyright infringement, child labour, illegal immigrants, drug-dealers and users, paedophiles?  All activities condoned by the local authority daily.  Visitors to Phuket head for Patong for these very reasons and enjoy the lawlessness of the place and then whinge when they are taken in through naivety.  You live and learn and hopefully return home with a little more wisdom than you arrived with.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

child labour, immigrants and copyright yes you can get away with

peadophiles and drugs no - you will get arrested within minutes.

[Phuket electrician]

Hey Jimbob, the police as you say have the power to arrest for such crimes, but they choose not to. Why is that?

[BROWNY]

These scams happen in loads of countries - i first came across it in Portugal and got the "this is your lucky day" speech. Unfortunately for the guy he was such a bad actor that i saw through him straight away. i walked away after he pleaded with me to go with him to collect my prize for 10-15 minutes.

when i walked past him later on he was telling another victim the same "this is your lucky day". He caught my eye and i had to laugh out loud - he was so embarrased he didn't know whether to continue as i stood there taking the piss.

the bottom line with this is - you don't get something for nothing. Anyone who spends time in LOS knows how true that is !

[LivinLOS]

I wonder how they will react if they give you card.. You go along..

Would you like a tour.. NO, I live here, why would I want timeshare..

When they try to worm out of the prize explain that the dept chief of Patong police is a drinking buddy and in the phone.. Either pize up of face the problems..

I could do with a new digital cam hmmm...

[kasi]

It gets better it cost me 120bht to get back to where I started from on Beach Rd and by this time I had wasted nearly 2 hours.

What!!!!!! Where you born yesterday? Maybe you were bored and had time to kill? You wasted 2 hours!!! &lt;deleted&gt;?

And BTW a 20 baht bill will take you anywhere you want in Patong on a motorbike taxi!

These stupid scams have been around for quite a while.

Edited October 10, 2005 by kasi

[snoophound]

Desparate types.

Some of the routines they try are hysterical.

They run the old filter scam where the guy pretends to give up ,then goes and talks to his boss who comes in with an "amazing offer".

The margins they have must be huge.

Last time we went to a presso for a bit of sport the price went from 900k baht to 350k ....boy were they pissed off when we walked.

######s.

Still they must be making money.

Usualy the sales scum at the closer level have the scars of spain and that delightful and so credible cockney accent etc.

Has anybody been approached by Thai Guys in suits handing out instant scratch prize tickets in Patong?

Last month a Thai guy in a suit approached me on Beach RD Patong and handed me a instant prize ticket and told me that "the local hotels in Phuket in conjuction with VISA/AMEX where giving away cash and prizes to lure tourists back to Phuket post Tsunami". Anyhow when I scratched the ticket to my surprise I had revealed 3 super prize icons which meant I had won either of the following:

1) A holiday to the value of 20,000 BHT

2) 20,000 BHT in cash

3) Sony digital camera

Anyhow the guy advised me that he would escort me to the promotion office to pick up my prize and that the promoters would pay him a fee for taking a major prize winner back to the office and on collection he would get 200BHT. Anyhow I must admit I was a little sceptical so I asked the guy "Where is the catch here?" He told me QUOTE " Sir it is 100% legimate there are no catches it is your lucky day""havent we heard that phrase before?" Anyhow after arriving at the Hotel where the promotion was being held I was ushered into a room alone with the so called Prize C-ordinator thinking I was getting a prize.

The cordinator congratulated me and asked me if I would kindly take a tour of the hotel while they where processing the paperwork to release my prize "20,000bht". Anyhow a so called Tour guide "English Fellow" tried to befriend me as we where walking upstairs to a room of discussion tables. At first I didnt get wind of what was about to evolve It simply looked like a bunch of people chatting over coffee!

Anyhow after 15 minutes or so with this fellow he started to demand I give him 450K for a TIME SHARE APARTMENT as it was QUOTE" The opportunity of a lifetime".

Now I had exposed the motive I looked around and to my delight (NOT) I discovered about 15 other tourists getting hammered by Farangs on the same deal. Never the less I held my ground and said I am not interested which was not good enough for the persistant salesman.

When he realised I was hard work he then brought over the manager another "farang" and he had a crack at me as well. So now I have 2 guys hammering me to depart with 450k this went on for a whole hour or so going back and forth and round in circles. Finally they gave up and told me that they would escort me downstairs to pick up my prize and thanked me for my time.

At this stage I am just about at boiling point becasue I have been worked to the max to buy into this "Once in a lifetime opportunity!"but I kept my cool because I was about to recive my 20,000bht prize.

When I went to collect my prize I was told by the co-ordinator that becasue I didnt officially complete the tour with the guide after I had greed to it I was not eligible to collect my prize and the B..tch handed me a promotional T-Shirt and said I hope there are no had feelings. I refused to accept the Tshirt and gave her a piece of my mind and said "this would not be the last of this!". It gets better it cost me 120bht to get back to where I started from on Beach Rd and by this time I had wasted nearly 2 hours.

I was wondering if there are any Thai consumer protection laws against misleading conduct by legitimate business operating misleading marketing SCAMS?

This would be detrimental to the image Phuket has post Tsunami no doubt! when I was in the CLOSING ROOM so to speak I witnessed some people sweating immensley by these Farangs that where hammering them un relentingly to make a decision on the spot to pay 450K. I swear it was a room of nervous holiday makers and no different to some "USED CAR SALES LOTS come in sucker!"

Some of these people especially the ones that survived the tactical on slaught of cunning high pressure sales tactics will never return back to Patong. I think what these companies are doing is criminal the last thing I want to do when I am on holiday or visiting friends is to get verbally hammered by cunning non relenting sales people its a real shame that people can take advantage of others in this way! and I believe it needs to be stamped out all together there needs to be a line drawn in the san so to speak!

I have no doubt some tourists where forced into buying something they wouldnt either use or didnt even want but hey I bet the salesperson can sleep at night while he is counting his commission. Its a ###### shame you cant be left alone to enjoy yourself without some cunning sales person be-friending with you with a hidden agenda!

Where is the line here? When does it get to the point when you have to be either rude, threatening or blunt to be left alone. I would like to know what others think about sales ethic and what you would do in this situation? i know one thing if this went on in Australia and other countries the materminds behind this scheme would get fined and even possibly arrested for misreprentation there business would be closed down.

Dont take me wrong alot of my mates and friends are sales people but the difference is they have a conscience not like these ass h..les selling Time-Share.

Thoughts Please!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Mighty Mouse]

The scam wants a 450,000 baht up-front fee. If you are stupid enough to fall for that, then you learn about the on-going maintenance fees.

If you are more crazy than stupid and pay the up- front fee and the maintenance fees, you may then realise what a complete sucker you were after you try and book your time-share holiday in Phuket.

At best you will get an overpriced room for a period between 1 - 3 weeks, but not at a time when you normally take your holidays. On average, you will get a room for only one week or maybe you won't get a room at all.

It is far cheaper to walk into the hotel of your choice in Phuket and barter the price with the manager.

Similar schemes are going on in Pattaya every day.

When you are approached in the street by a young person holding a clip board and greeting you with, "Hello, where you come from?" you are best advised to smile and keep walking.

[Welsh John]

Got stopped by these idiots a couple of times.

When I told them I had a house here they went away really quick without even saying bye bye.

(Mate of mine said they went quick because I was ugly.....Mmm I dont look that bad when I look in the mirror!!! Well whats left of it anyway)

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Of you or of the mirror John ?

[Mikey7]

The scam wants a 450,000 baht up-front fee. If you are stupid enough to fall for that, then you learn about the on-going maintenance fees.

If you are more crazy than stupid and pay the up- front fee and the maintenance fees, you may then realise what a complete sucker you were after you try and book your time-share holiday in Phuket.

At best you will get an overpriced room for a period between 1 - 3 weeks, but not at a time when you normally take your holidays. On average, you will get a room for only one week or maybe you won't get a room at all.

It is far cheaper to walk into the hotel of your choice in Phuket and barter the price with the manager.

Similar schemes are going on in Pattaya every day.

When you are approached in the street by a young person holding a clip board and greeting you with, "Hello, where you come from?" you are best advised to smile and keep walking.

  Having worked against that game for a while a long time ago, I can tell you its not a post tsunami hustle. It or something close to it is common practice in the time share business. Most of these operations though have very good legal departments that keep them just on the edge of legal. As for the timing , it depends on what you buy. A red season or high season purchase will generally get you a high season accomodation. Truth is though 99% of people don't want to go to the same place every year forever. And trust me, if you buy one you will own it forever or until you just give it away. Most people wont take it as a gift though because they don'rt want to be stuck with Maintainance fees forever. ANd don't fall for the pitch on the exchage programs. Most of them lie too. Now if you any of you are still crazy enough to want one of these let me know and I can get it for you for less than ten cents on the $.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Time Share = Rogues and Vagabonds

[Sir Burr]

Time Share = Rogues and Vagabonds

What have tramps got to do with it?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Time Share = Rogues and Vagabonds

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What have tramps got to do with it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It also means a worthless fellow, a scamp, a rascal. Even a nomadic person.

[sriracha john]

Time Share = Rogues and Vagabonds

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What have tramps got to do with it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It also means a worthless fellow, a scamp, a rascal. Even a nomadic person.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gentleman ones and otherwise?....

[Sir Burr]

Not according to the dictionary I looked at.

Says a person with no home that lives a nomadic life style. Frequently does not have a job.

I would say that they are complete blackguards, bounders, cads and blackamoors.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Mine must be bigger than yours

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Time Share = Rogues and Vagabonds

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What have tramps got to do with it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It also means a worthless fellow, a scamp, a rascal. Even a nomadic person.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gentleman ones and otherwise?....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Our Scamp was no gent and he was a purveyor of timeshare in Phuket at one time.

[jimbob]

Hey Jimbob, the police as you say have the power to arrest for such crimes,  but they choose not to.  Why is that?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Some crimes demand more attention than others. Drugs and kiddy fiddling are high on the list, copied cds are not.

[Welsh John]

Mine must be bigger than yours 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ugly & Broken Mirror & a little one............Nomad = Roaming from pasture to pasture-Member of a tribe with no fixed address-Wanderer!!

= Tiimeshare!!

[sadman]

Oh no - I've missed out again. It could've been my lucky day and I could have bought a timeshare or two.

I could have as well, 'cos I've got a load of money coming my way, because I got contacted by e-mail by the widow of the former President of Nigeria, and she's got US$35m in an account, and she's going to give me 20% of it, and all I had to do was give her my account details, and...and...and...

I've done it again, haven't I?

[taxin]

Has anybody been approached by Thai Guys in suits handing out instant scratch prize tickets in Patong?

Last month a Thai guy in a suit approached me on Beach RD Patong and handed me a instant prize ticket and told me that "the local hotels in Phuket in conjuction with VISA/AMEX where giving away cash and prizes to lure tourists back to Phuket post Tsunami". Anyhow when I scratched the ticket to my surprise I had revealed 3 super prize icons which meant I had won either of the following:

1) A holiday to the value of 20,000 BHT

2) 20,000 BHT in cash

3) Sony digital camera

Anyhow the guy advised me that he would escort me to the promotion office to pick up my prize and that the promoters would pay him a fee for taking a major prize winner back to the office and on collection he would get 200BHT. Anyhow I must admit I was a little sceptical so I asked the guy "Where is the catch here?" He told me QUOTE " Sir it is 100% legimate there are no catches it is your lucky day""havent we heard that phrase before?" Anyhow after arriving at the Hotel where the promotion was being held I was ushered into a room alone with the so called Prize C-ordinator thinking I was getting a prize.

The cordinator congratulated me and asked me if I would kindly take a tour of the hotel while they where processing the paperwork to release my prize "20,000bht". Anyhow a so called Tour guide "English Fellow" tried to befriend me as we where walking upstairs to a room of discussion tables. At first I didnt get wind of what was about to evolve It simply looked like a bunch of people chatting over coffee!

Anyhow after 15 minutes or so with this fellow he started to demand I give him 450K for a TIME SHARE APARTMENT as it was QUOTE" The opportunity of a lifetime".

Now I had exposed the motive I looked around and to my delight (NOT) I discovered about 15 other tourists getting hammered by Farangs on the same deal. Never the less I held my ground and said I am not interested which was not good enough for the persistant salesman.

When he realised I was hard work he then brought over the manager another "farang" and he had a crack at me as well. So now I have 2 guys hammering me to depart with 450k this went on for a whole hour or so going back and forth and round in circles. Finally they gave up and told me that they would escort me downstairs to pick up my prize and thanked me for my time.

At this stage I am just about at boiling point becasue I have been worked to the max to buy into this "Once in a lifetime opportunity!"but I kept my cool because I was about to recive my 20,000bht prize.

When I went to collect my prize I was told by the co-ordinator that becasue I didnt officially complete the tour with the guide after I had greed to it I was not eligible to collect my prize and the B..tch handed me a promotional T-Shirt and said I hope there are no had feelings. I refused to accept the Tshirt and gave her a piece of my mind and said "this would not be the last of this!". It gets better it cost me 120bht to get back to where I started from on Beach Rd and by this time I had wasted nearly 2 hours.

I was wondering if there are any Thai consumer protection laws against misleading conduct by legitimate business operating misleading marketing SCAMS?

This would be detrimental to the image Phuket has post Tsunami no doubt! when I was in the CLOSING ROOM so to speak I witnessed some people sweating immensley by these Farangs that where hammering them un relentingly to make a decision on the spot to pay 450K. I swear it was a room of nervous holiday makers and no different to some "USED CAR SALES LOTS come in sucker!"

Some of these people especially the ones that survived the tactical on slaught of cunning high pressure sales tactics will never return back to Patong. I think what these companies are doing is criminal the last thing I want to do when I am on holiday or visiting friends is to get verbally hammered by cunning non relenting sales people its a real shame that people can take advantage of others in this way! and I believe it needs to be stamped out all together there needs to be a line drawn in the san so to speak!

I have no doubt some tourists where forced into buying something they wouldnt either use or didnt even want but hey I bet the salesperson can sleep at night while he is counting his commission. Its a ###### shame you cant be left alone to enjoy yourself without some cunning sales person be-friending with you with a hidden agenda!

Where is the line here? When does it get to the point when you have to be either rude, threatening or blunt to be left alone. I would like to know what others think about sales ethic and what you would do in this situation? i know one thing if this went on in Australia and other countries the materminds behind this scheme would get fined and even possibly arrested for misreprentation there business would be closed down.

Dont take me wrong alot of my mates and friends are sales people but the difference is they have a conscience not like these ass h..les selling Time-Share.

Thoughts Please!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is it just me or was everyone else waiting for the bit for where the poster was "actually" scammed out of money ? Apart from a 120 baht taxi ride !

Thai in a suit.... asked for 450,000 baht in just "15" minutes.... ha ha, me thinks its a case of someone being a little bit pis*ed off because he thought he was getting 20,000 baht, cheap charlie SUCKER !!! ha ha !

(However I would seriously consider reporting the Tuk Tuk driver for ripping you off out of 120 baht, now that is scandalous).

[Welsh John]

Oh no - I've missed out again. It could've been my lucky day and I could have bought a timeshare or two.

I could have as well, 'cos I've got a load of money coming my way, because I got contacted by e-mail by the widow of the former President of Nigeria, and she's got US$35m in an account, and she's going to give me 20% of it, and all I had to do was give her my account details, and...and...and...

I've done it again, haven't I?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, Ive had an email from the son of very wealthy father in the same position and he's got over 50 million us tied up and wants to give me 25%.

I've sent an email back telling them I'm NOT STUPID!!! & want 50%. C'mon, I was taught never to accept the first offer!!!!