Is this some kind of scam?

[DeanWeen]

A female friend of mine (Caucasian, 30s) has had a couple of odd encounters lately. They share some similarities, so I'm wondering if it's something to be wary of, or if it's nothing.

A few months ago she was on her own at Mega Bangna, and she was approached by a young-ish, good-looking Canadian guy (Western). He said he had just flown in from some other Asian destination, his luggage was on another plane, and the airline needed an address to send it to. He asked if she knew of any hostels in Bangkok because the taxi driver had dropped him at Bang Na instead of Bangkok. He was vague about his travel plans. She looked up some hostels on her phone and got him in touch with someone. Then her friend showed up, and he started to shy away. He tried to "pay" her for her help with a used food court card that he said still had US$10 on it. This was strange, though, as he said he had just gotten to the mall. He also seemed too well-presented and well-groomed to be a backpacker, though he was looking for a cheap hostel.

Then just recently, she was by herself at Don Muang immigration (inbound) and was approached by a young-ish, good-looking but also slightly hippy-ish Canadian girl (also Western). The girl came up from behind, asked if my friend spoke English, and then said she really liked the black leather briefcase she was carrying. She asked where she could find one like it, which seemed weird because she didn't look like the kind of person to need a black corporate case. After a bit more conversation, she mentioned where she lived in Thailand, and it turned out to be the same general area my friend does. She then asked if my friend wanted to share a car because she wasn't sure how to get home. (But didn't she just say she lived in Thailand?)

Anyway, in both cases, my friend's Spidey senses were ringing. She played it safe and didn't really engage further. We're wondering if she was right to be suspicious.

In sum:

• Both approaches were by young Westerners
• Both approaches happened in very public places
• Both approaches led to some kind of request
• Both times, my friend was by herself
• Both times, there were things done or said that seemed a little out of place.

What does everyone think? Were these two on some kind of con, or is my friend being overly cautious?

[YipYipYa123]

theres no such thing as being "overly cautious'" when dealing with strangers in public places

who come up to you with some story .............

[Pomthai]

Did you ever find out where to get the briefcase?

[somchaismith]

Me thinks that someone's been toking that Canook green.

[DeanWeen]

Did you ever find out where to get the briefcase?

My friend was the one with the briefcase, so yeah, we know where it came from. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[CharlieH]

Paranoid! and stop playing with chemistry and you'll be fine.

[benalibina]

Scammers need time to engage with an innocent person. This to built trust and sense if the 1 they approach is gullible. Your female friend apparantly is not. Good for her.

[thepool]

As described both encounters appear "odd"

Your friend was wise to exercise caution.

[ukrules]

I suggest dismissing strangers who approach you for no apparent reason, especially in a foreign place. They will almost certainly be up to no good.

[Banzai99]

If it's anything to do with Farangs in Thailand, be very very careful, they are not to be trusted willy nilly...

Edited April 7, 2014 by Banzai99

[Beetlejuice]

“which seemed weird because she didn't look like the kind of person to need a black corporate case.”

How do you know if you were not there, unless your alleged friend went into every minute detail?

[cgphuket]

Only times I have been conned in Thailand, has been by foreigners.

[I Like Thai]

The first guy was hoping to get invited back to your friends apt (for a bit of fun). Her friend showing up scuppered his plans

The girl was on her own and scared to travel alone into BKK, she saw another Western female alone and decided to chance her luck and make a temporary friend for mutual benefit.

[DeanWeen]

“which seemed weird because she didn't look like the kind of person to need a black corporate case.”

How do you know if you were not there, unless your alleged friend went into every minute detail?

As I mentioned in the OP, my friend said the girl was a bit of a hippie. She said she didn't seem the type to need or want corporate accessories.

[DeanWeen]

I guess two other things I'm wondering are:

• If these are scam attempts, what kind of scam?
• Has anyone else experienced situations like these? Especially by Westerners? Recruiting Westerners to approach other Westerners seems like a smart idea.

[YipYipYa123]

I guess two other things I'm wondering are:

• If these are scam attempts, what kind of scam?
• Has anyone else experienced situations like these? Especially by Westerners? Recruiting Westerners to approach other Westerners seems like a smart idea.

YES ,theres plenty of people in thai jails because they were naive or gullible and did a favour for another westerner .......BE CAREFUL

any stranger aproaching you for no reason should be treated as a scam until proven otherwise or ignored if you dont have the time

or the inclination to find out .......

[ZigZagMan]

Some people want to turn their problem into your problem.

[jayceenik]

Scammers need time to engage with an innocent person. This to built trust and sense if the 1 they approach is gullible. Your female friend apparantly is not. Good for her.

Thanks to the OP for his report.

Indeed the scammer needs to build a 'friendly' contact with his intended victim before he strikes.

We'll never know what the scam might have been in this case but I'm sure there was going to be one.

[benalibina]

Scammers need time to engage with an innocent person. This to built trust and sense if the 1 they approach is gullible. Your female friend apparantly is not. Good for her.

Thanks to the OP for his report.

Indeed the scammer needs to build a 'friendly' contact with his intended victim before he strikes.

We'll never know what the scam might have been in this case but I'm sure there was going to be one.

On tv here there is a program weekly about scamming tourists in various touristdestions worldwide. There was one about thailand as well. This was about tuk tuk driving tourists to a jewelry factory. The guy who does the program bought something for a value of around 30k and salesperson said it would be a way higher resalevalue in europe. He had it sent back to here for valuation at a diamondauctioneer and it turned out to be only around 10k of value. He went to touristpolice in bkk.....well u can guess, sadly to say, they are into it as well. He went later to the factory with all his proof and.....smiles smiles and admittance of the fraud. Funny enough there was a sign at the entrance of the factory that they warned tourists about tuk tuk drivers and no commission would be paid to them. Guess what....after the initial sale it was filmed secretly that an employee of the said factory paid commission to the tuk tuk driver ???? Was quite an interesting program.....although nothing really shocking for me, just a confirmation of what i knew already. Edited April 8, 2014 by benalibina

[little mary sunshine]

Many scammers have electron scaners to copy your credit card # without even

taking them out of your wallet, however they must be in very close proximity

to you for a few minutes....could be one of these scame

Edited April 8, 2014 by little mary sunshine

[Smurkster]

Only times I have been conned in Thailand, has been by foreigners.

Same with me but I don't discount the ability for Thais to scam as well.. it doesn't matter WHO you are or WHERE you are from, every human being has the potential to be a scam artist

[realenglish1]

One way to smuggle Drugs Sent them to someone else If the coast is clear collect the drugs

Stay away from someone like this Only inviting trouble

[PattayaPhom]

The lady in 7/11 ask me for 20 Baht for a large Pepsi...spooky huh, do you think I should be worried..the next day she did it again when I got a pepsi....aarrrrhhhh...man are we being invaded

Edited April 8, 2014 by PattayaPhom

[YipYipYa123]

Many scammers have electron scaners to copy your credit card # without even

taking them out of your wallet, however they must be in very close proximity

to you for a few minutes....could be one of these scame

even if its in your pocket ? im interested in this if it is actually going on lol

sounds pretty hi tech but if there was such technology wouldnt everyone

be a victim ?

sit in any crowded public place you could scam everyones card if this were possible ??

[Sashasri]

religious cult members?

[little mary sunshine]

Many scammers have electron scaners to copy your credit card # without even

taking them out of your wallet, however they must be in very close proximity

to you for a few minutes....could be one of these scame

even if its in your pocket ? im interested in this if it is actually going on lol

sounds pretty hi tech but if there was such technology wouldnt everyone

be a victim ?

sit in any crowded public place you could scam everyones card if this were possible ??sm Yes

Yes this happens to hundreds of people each day. Keep your credit cards in a

plastic holder wrapped in aluminum foil, or buy small metal credit card holders

designed for this purpose.

[Krataiboy]

Always trust your instincts.

[somchaismith]

Only times I have been conned in Thailand, has been by foreigners.

Those bad Thai people, again.

[iamariva1957]

Of course it is a scam.

My favorite is the guy/s working Grand Central Station in NYC. He/she is well dressed and looks business like (complete with briefcase) and says that he/she was held up earlier in the day and lost their wallet and the cash that was inside and is $20 short for his train ticket home and anything you can do would be great. Even offers up their business card saying that they will send the money to you as soon as he/she gets home. All seems real. He/she is very nice and polite and seems genuine. So you help him/her out. Then you walk away feeling a bit better about yourself and only later do you start to think that you were just 'taken'.

Then there is the guy at the Wall Street subway station that says that he is not from this planet and needs what is called money... It is an original storyline and he always manages to get a couple of Bucks from me for sheer originality.

So beware.... there are folks out there who want what you have. Be careful! The hairs of the back of your neck are far better at spotting trouble than your brain seems to be able to do. 'Listen' to those hairs!

[keestha]

Have to think about an incident which happened a long time ago. At Hualamphong, I purchased a train ticket to Don Meuang, which in those days still was the international airport. Walking away from the counter, I discovered there had been some kind of a misunderstanding, I had two tickets to the airport in my hand. Didn't want to and had no time to stand in line again for a refund, but don't like throwing something away which can be used. So I asked a backpack carrying solo Farang: "Are you going to the airport?" He replied:"Yes". Me again: (extending my hand with the surplus ticket in it) "Do you want a free ticket to the airport? The train is leaving at 16.15 from platform 9" . In his turn, he blurted out (raising his voice) "This is not right". So I shrugged my shoulders, turned around and walked off towards platform 9, feeling his eyes pricking into my back.

Geez, he might have thought that accepting my free offer would have led to him serving a lengthy term in a Thai prison.

Just an anecdote. The girl the OP is writing about, was probably right to cut off contact with those people. You just never know.