Phuket vehicle rental operators warned of passport scam
Phuket Gazette


Police have warned rental operators not to accept copies of third party passports. Photo: Gazette File

PHUKET: -- Patong Police warned vehicle operators in Phuket to carefully scrutinize renters’ passports following a report from Samui that a rented bike had been stolen.

Krabi restaurant owner Jurgen Weber reported that two foreigners used a third party’s passport to rent a motorbike from his sister-in-law’s shop in Samui. And they never returned it.

“I always tell rental operators that when they rent out a car or motorbike, the person renting must be the person identified by the passport,” said Patong Police Deputy Superintendent Akanit Danpitaksat.

“I tell them not to rent out the bike if the passport picture doesn’t match the person who wants to rent it. If they’re in doubt, they should ask for another form of ID.”

The contract is very important too, he said.

“In case of theft, it is important evidence to present to the police,” Lt Col Akanit said.

He offered advice for renters as well.

“Read the contract carefully. Make sure you understand the conditions and all the fine print. If something happens later and you are liable, and your signature is on the contract, you can’t say you didn’t know.”

In the Samui case, which occurred in early February, two people allegedly claimed that they were renting the motorbike for a friend and left their friend’s passport as collateral. After the bike wasn’t returned, the operator learned from Krabi Immigration that the person named in the passport had left Thailand in 2012.

Col Akanit noted that rental operators could photocopy renters’ passports, but were not permitted to hold them.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Phuket-vehicle-rental-operators-warned-of-passport-scam-25704.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-02-28

“I tell them not to rent out the bike if the passport picture doesn’t match the person who wants to rent it. If they’re in doubt, they should ask for another form of ID.”

lol Is this for real?...Thailand really is the Hub of idiots if they do this

Accepting a third party's passport?????? Beyond belief, even though TiT. ?

She was so keen to make a sale any old passport was suffice , money trumps common sense yet again.

Foreigners all look the same.

As opposed to I don't know 99% of operators in certain parts of Thailand, who are in on it with the local cops, take peoples passports and scam them out of thousands of baht over scratches or damage that may or may not even exist, sometimes at gun point...

Because, ya know, that totally doesn't happen, ever, in the land of smiles..

Foreigners all look the same.

Quote of the year!

GPS time and the places to conceal them are ripe. When i was a cop, we loved tracking down the various goodies protected by them. It would lead to many more investigations and arrests. Technology is an honest persons best friend!

I wonder why a picture of a British passport was used in the article?

No mention up there of them having a driving licence for a bike then!

It was some-time ago but the rental operator on Samui kept my passport when I had a jeep.

It is an offence to leave a passport as security end of !!!!!

Ha ha. The renter been scammed. Wonder if he rents out jet ski is as well.

Rent a Jet Ski and go down the coast to near where you are staying and dump it. Renters Revenge.

I wonder why a picture of a British passport was used in the article?

No mention up there of them having a driving licence for a bike then!

It was some-time ago but the rental operator on Samui kept my passport when I had a jeep.

Obviously because he was british------------ DUR !!!!

Som nom na!

I wonder why a picture of a British passport was used in the article?

Subliminal programming.

I wonder why a picture of a British passport was used in the article?

No mention up there of them having a driving licence for a bike then!

It was some-time ago but the rental operator on Samui kept my passport when I had a jeep.

Obviously because he was british------------ DUR !!!!

Where does the report state that the persons renting the bike were British or the passport, which was not theirs, was British? There is nothing obvious apart from a generic image of a British passport which incorrectly implies it was British when nothing in the report substatiates this assumption.

The investment recovery time on motor cycles for most operators is about three months, after spurious claims for the cost of repairs to minor scratches and such paying them off.

So this happens once and it warrants an alert to operators but tourists get scammed every day and everything is kept quiet because nobody dares say anything that might scare off more suckers tourists?

I didn't take the image of a British passport to imply the renter was British. I just assumed it was an image the Phuket Gazette had to hand/found easily. I doubt if there are any subliminal messages or anything shady about using the image.

Foreigners all look the same.

I think to some people they do. When I was crossing back into Thailand at Mae Sai the Burma immigration officer held up several passports asking 'is that you?' before he came to mine. At least most of them were female and I was pleased none of the possible photos of me had beards.

Makes a nice change,farang scams Thai. Are we fighting back ?

Good serves them right those rental operators are unscrupulous in that they want exorbitant amounts of money in my case at least 4 times the value. They wanted 60K for a rubbish bike that would cost no more than 15k to replace. I urge all to shop around, I went down the road and it was only a 30k guarantee.

Wonder if the vendor rented it out fully insured which they would have been legally obliged to have?

Foreigners all look the same.

No, the first thing the Thai notice is the nose, it is different... features of how tall and color of hair is not noted first it is the size and shape of nose... I did not belief this but ask a Thai... Sorry for Nosing around in your forum in giving a SENSE less reply.

Foreigners all look the same.

Quote of the year!

And anyhow! British passport holders are the worlds most honest !

It is an offence to leave a passport as security end of !!!!!

Your British passport belongs to the crown, not yours to give away ! so never ever do it.

Rent a Jet Ski and go down the coast to near where you are staying and dump it. Renters Revenge.

It has been done

Rent a Jet Ski and go down the coast to near where you are staying and dump it. Renters Revenge.

It has been done

Dont forget to take the Engine Kill Cord with You.

Rent a Jet Ski and go down the coast to near where you are staying and dump it. Renters Revenge.

It has been done

Dont forget to take the Engine Kill Cord with You.

Want me - but I KNOW it happened, rented from Patong headed towards Surin and had mates waiting in a rib..... bye bye sucker

I was told of a similar one in Pattaya, but have no proof

Yeah huge scam

Foreigner nicks a bike, oh wow, call the FBI! Foreigner gets scammed every time he visits the beach, normal practice, nothing to see here