Two Liberians arrested in Pattaya over "Black Money" scam

[animatic]

P. T. Barnum was grossly undercounting.

[NomadJoe]

Someone (looking like these guys) approached me on the stairs going up to Asok/Sukhumvit BTS station. Seemed friendly so exchanged numbers.

This was going back to like 2010-2011 or so (sorry cant remember exact).

Then asked to hang out, so I met in public safe areas like food courts inside a Tesco. After 2-3 meetings, put this "scam" on to me. I led them on, thinking I was some dumb guy saying I would get my parents to wire me the funds.

In the meanwhile, I went to the local police station which was Sutthisan at the time. Told them about it with my perfectly bi-lingual girlfriend, and they didn't pursue it. So guess its going to keep happening (to poor souls), unless local police want to nip it early.

Part of it was, no crime was committed yet. I told them of course not, because I'm not that dumb to hand over the cash. I suggested they setup a sting with the people, what more can you do.

"Caveat Emptor"

Next time get some media involved as an "expose" and the police will sure want to tag along then. Imagine the face to be gained.

[nycjoe]

The white money scheme is cheaper, black paper is more expensive. A bit of fairy dust and some words from Zoroaster and we're all set. )

[rotary]

Have any of you actually seen the black money scam? It's laughable beyond belief.

The problem is there are still too many idiots willing to suspend belief.

Would you believe about 10 years ago I knew 2 guys who fell for this scam, both expats. I will not go into the complete story but one of them showed me the "case and contents". I went on the net and found a scam web site showing the exact same case with details of the scam. I showed this web site to the expat who showed me what was under his bed and his reply was "Yea thats fake but mine is real"

Boggles the mind. He may still be looking for that magic fluid for all I know.

Edited October 1, 2013 by rotary

[The Usual Suspect]

Clown show!!!

[bangarang]

As the thais say... Nigerians... Liberians... same-same... but different.

[KrisPinBK08]

I was approached by two Liberians on Sukhumvit 3 to 4 years ago.

They were both well dressed, able to speak very good English, and had

good quiet demeanor and attitudes.

I replied politely to their questions and gave brief accounts of whom, what and why

I was in BK.

I had lived and worked in Liberia for about 3/4 months in the period before the Charles Taylor

instigated war and massacres, and so was interested to talk to them.

They advised that they were both part of a team from Liberia and adjacent Sierra Leone, that

were in BK looking for Biz and Investments.

They kept in touch by sms and mobile and 3/4 weeks later invited me for a meal.

At the meal in the Emporium they broached the subject of the availability of circa $US One million,

in cash that they had "acquired" from the post Charles Taylor period and was claimed to be

from the US aid to Liberia. !!!

The money was not brought in by air, but was at the BK port to be collected !!!

They elaborately described the way that the US Aid dollars were all coated with a black coating,

that was removed with a "special solvent". They needed a "Safe House" to carry out the cleaning operation, for which I

would be paid for. !!

Possibly with the plus bonus of 2-5 yrs in the "Bangkok Hilton"

They then very secretly demonstrated the process on a piece of black paper, to me, on a bench seat in Benjasiri park

next to the Emporium. A US 20 dollar note then appeared from the process - slightly damp. It was a very clever scam !!

Tommy Cooper could not have done a better job in his days as a Magician.

I said "no thanks" and walked away. They continued with sms and calls to me over the following two weeks.

The calls to me were not answered.

[Robbie Dye]

I would call it blank money, not black money!

[The Deerhunter]

Most Pattaya residents were surprised to hear that they had one librarian in Pattaya, let alone two. So these were scamming Librarians, not Lending Librarians

[tragickingdom]

How funny, do the scammers try to "extort" money from unsuspected people or are in fact those poor people greedy bastards that try to get in on a money counterfeiting or laundry scheme?

Not only the Liberians should be picked up also their so called "victims". You can't scam an honest man, everybody knows that. By the way, if the Yingluck government is looking for ways to lower their budget deficit, it seems she can start cutting the police force down. Their are a zillion policemen in the picture for a simple every day scam.

[snake24]

What, again, when are the old bill going to clamp down on these people? You only need to go down the main street in BKK and they are all upto no good.

actually the people in the photo have been arrested.. what more do you want.

What do you mean by "they are all up to no good" ???? You mean all Black people ? You are one sick puppy.

Here we go into the bigotry and stereotyping again. It's somehow easier to class black ppl one certain way especially when you're in an asian country where they don't have civil rights and well you can try to play asians against the blacks.

It's also silly to classify black ppl as if they all came from one country when africa is so diverse and much more diverse than europe and probably asia.

[Samaaw]

Some years ago Liberians who did crime in other countries - when deported home - were executed. Any more arrests to follow??????

[newermonkey]

Its hilarious that people would believe in this crap, yes I can turn lead into gold as well, I do it every day, I am so rich now... that's why I need you to pay me a few million baht so I can sell you the formula.

Hey Paddy... if you had 3 wishes what would it be?

Give me a jar of Guinness that never ever runs out!

OK and the other 2 wishes?

Ah, just give me two more of them jars!

5555

[ttthailand]

Have any of you actually seen the black money scam? It's laughable beyond belief.

The problem is there are still too many idiots willing to suspend belief.

Maybe these two idiots believe it is real ..... Hahaha!!!!

[schondie]

Liberians and black money will surely get a "Dat's racist!" response before long

[newermonkey]

I saw it on tv about 10 years ago, goes like this: they have a case full of black money, the top ones are REAL dollar bills covered in black water paint, they then put one of the real ones in water (they say its a special chemical) the black paint washes off and hey presto a dollar bill. The dumb mark then wants to buy the whole case. "wow Dumb & Dumber".

I think someone could make a lot of money if they marketed a chemical that made mother-in-laws disappear without a trace, could make a fortune!

[mok199]

......so boring,so tired ,scam after scam...if they would put that much effort into starting a legal buisness they would be repected and welcomed..but no.....always a scam an angle an easy buck....then they chimpout when they are busted..''.i din do nufins ''

[Traveller45]

....shortly after the media photographers and reporters had left Mark Barner and Samuel Paasawe asked the police if they would drop all charges relating to the Black Money scam in return for the script and a full demonstration of how it work the scam. They could be trusted as they were God Fearing Christians who happened to be a Doctor of Child Brain Surgery and a High Court Barrister who had really come to Thailand to sell a special explosive and drug detector machine that needed no batteries or user training and worked by counter rotating magnetic earth waves.

The offer is under consideration.

Ever since I fell for Nigeria scam, rather over a decade ago, luckily with a small amount, I keep wondering about this: These darkies spend inordinate amounts of time and attention devising crappy schemes such as this, could they not with such time and effort start doing something USEFUL...? I mean, they are obviously intelligent...

[klauskunkel]

two Liberians accused of attempted to extort money

Where is the extortion? Am I missing something? All I found was stupidity...

[garet]

How do so many Africans get into Thailand in the first place? I thought Thailand was strict about allowing visas from Africa? I doubt any more than a handful have any kind of legitimate job or work permit.

If you've noticed, roughly 90% of all the Africans you see are males between 20-35 years old. Very few of them seem to have any type of job except loitering in the streets late at night.

Go to Khao Sarn road late at night and it resembles little Africa. One club in Silom gets filled with Africans after midnight. Where do they all go during the day?

[marell]

You know what, I like these guys.. They must be the world's best salesmen to be able to get people to fall for that, just imagine how wealthy they would be if they they worked for a bank.

The so called victim, if he is that stupid he was going to loose his money sooner or later anyway, this is as worthy a cause as any.

You're absolutely correct and amazingly astute. Perhaps you should pay their bail, arrive at a business agreement and provide them with a sizable cash investment. Their world class business acumen would soon have millions rolling in (which after complete reimbursement of your original investment) they would be happy to share equally with you. You will all become unimaginably wealthy in record time. It's a sure thing. Don't let this once in a lifetime opportunity slip away.

Edited October 1, 2013 by marell

[wileycoyote]

Philosophers Stone sort of idea changingreal stuff into imaginary money ?

[sojaroht]

Have any of you actually seen the black money scam? It's laughable beyond belief.

The problem is there are still too many idiots willing to suspend belief.

Yess man, i did..... already 5 years ago.

Because the whole situation "was to good to be true", i was very sispicious.

They where well organised and and the "moneylaundring-trick" was set-up very nice.

Still not understand how they did it

Lucky i only lose a few thousands bath.

[Khun Riki]

Shhhhh... you want something? I have it!

[chrisinth]

two Liberians accused of attempted to extort money

Where is the extortion? Am I missing something? All I found was stupidity...

That's the way I see it as well. How can money be seen as being extorted when in essence it is a greed fueled business transaction? The victims may be being conned, but extorted?

[tetleythedog]

These low life scammers are like cockroaches, you kill a few and hundreds more will appear,

only stiff, sever penalties will deter them from coming, but I can't see it happening in Thailand

where attitude toward petty criminals are very lenient at worst.

Didn't it mention that they have been here since September? How do they continue to get visas?

Logically, if the BIB were efficient, as were the "on the beat" Bobbies in former days (UK), they would have heard about this scam within a day or two of it starting. Thailand is hardly a land of secrets.

But gentlemen, as you say, if someone is stupid enough to believe the scam is possible, perhaps they deserve to be taken!

PS. I loved the comment about " BLACK MAGIC!!!"

[Rumblecat]

Those are the kind of people why all of the people see black people are all scammers and up to no good!

From internet scammers, identity fraud, drug dealers, drug couriers, gun smugglers, and everything that is bad in this world are from them! so tell us why do all of us don't have a good impression on this kind of people?

Many black people out there are doing good and kind but this kind of wannabe criminals are destroying the image of all blacks.

No. "All of the people" don't think all black people are scammers and up to no good. It's only the incredibly stupid people who think that, the kind of person too stupid to judge anyone beyond the colour of their skin. The kind of person who'd be so unintelligent and lacking in perception that they'd actually waste their time writing a post about how 'everything bad in this world' comes from black people. The kind of person who if they actually engaged their brain for more than a millisecond would realise how ridiculously idiotic they sounded.

That kind of person.

[Rimmer]

Off topic profane post removed

[oyster]

Have any of you actually seen the black money scam? It's laughable beyond belief.

The problem is there are still too many idiots willing to suspend belief.

Actually it's real, there may be many out there using it a base for a scam -but black dollars do exist,and they can be washed, I've seen it , done it and walked into a bank in the UK and asked for it to be changed - no probs.

They were all over Africa - probably still are, and the Russian Mafia were onto it....NOT trying to sell bits of black paper, searching for the chemical to wash them.I came across it in central Africa, having been given the lead in London, after digging probably a little too deep I was warned off the ice by an ex CIA guy. The book has been written,but is holding publication (insurance).

[DGIE]

I'll begin to see black people doing good when I look at them no longer black.