Scam Alert? Advice Needed

[Escape4]

Hello all,

I am considering moving to Thailand at some point in the future and I will be in the country in a couple of months for an exploratory trip. I am aware of potential girlfriend scams so I have been trying to educate myself as much as possible (with this forum among others) to avoid being the next victim. Today I decided to join the TV forum to ask for advice.

In preparation for my trip, I wanted to meet people online and I have been in communication with a nice girl for about one month now (FB chat + Skype). I look forward to meeting her in person because she seems like a good person, but as far as I am concerned it's an online relationship so far, therefore I am not blinded by love. She brought up a money-related issue today that activated all my alert sensors. The scam does not seem like a typical one, based on what I read before, and possibly has flaws in it, which is why I am not sure whether it's a scam or not.

She has not asked me for money, but she told me that her dad guaranteed a bank loan for a friend in the amount of 4,000,000 THB and now the friend has vanished so her dad has to pay. He is a teacher so I am assuming this is a large multiple of his annual salary? The amount is so big for Thai standards, that not only I think he has no chance of ever paying this back, in addition how could a bank even take him as a guarantor? I find it difficult to believe. Anyway the girl was crying on Skype when she told me the story and she just wants her parents to be happy, etc.

If this story is true, then I am not familiar with bankruptcy laws in Thailand, and this is where perhaps someone here can help. Can the man not simply declare bankruptcy and start from scratch? And if the laws are like in some other countries, he loses everything, but not his house? Why would he not do this? Maybe he is not very knowledgeable and the bank wants as much money as possible from him? He has 6-7 years left before retirement so he would have a bit of time left before rebuilding a portion of his wealth. I can play the "good guy" role, not by paying, but by giving them the information needed about the appropriate course of action - bankruptcy. Anyway down the road if it ever got to that and if the family wants me to help, they will have to give me all bank papers so I will be able to investigate in detail what this is all about and even go to the bank myself for questions if needed, to confirm the story is legit. It would be quite difficult to forge papers to fool me - I could check everything, so it seems.

If the story is a scam intended to get money from me down the road, then it appears to be a poorly designed scam. The typical scam is the sick mom or dad. Well, what is a guy supposed to say if he does not want to pay? Let them die? In this case, I have an easy argument for not paying, without being accused of being the heartless jerk. It's like putting money in a black hole - just default on the loan! And if the story is a scam, I am willing to let the story unfold and enjoy the ride in the mean time, for free, for as long as it lasts. I will never pay anything and might even get some entertainment value out of the whole thing. I will be disappointed to find out that this nice girl is a fraud, but I will not feel bad about scamming the scammer, if such is the case.

The other thing which is strange is that if it is a scam, not only I have an easy out, but it seems the girl played her hand way too early. Did she think I was on the hook already, only with Skype? Can she be such a good actor (crying, lying, etc.) yet make such a blatant strategic mistake in the scam? Maybe the whole thing is true... too early to tell, but there is no rush, all information and facts will eventually emerge.

All advice on how to play it on my side is appreciated! Feel free to ask clarifications on aspects you think are relevant which I might not have mentioned.

Thanks!

[Thaiberius]

^{If you turn the roles around would you have brought up the same subject? There is no "typical" scam, there are hundreds. Up to you whether you get involved but as you have read and researched on this forum I'm sure you know what may be in store for you.}

^{On the other hand it may be genuine.}

[burgerking]

Sorry to sound so negative here.

You haven't even moved here yet, and you're already caught up in it. steer clear is my advice...

[NeverSure]

Just send her 4 million baht and she will love you long time.

Naw, true story or not (likely not) it's not your problem.

Edited May 3, 2014 by NeverSure

[rhythmworx]

How do you know the amount is so big for Thai standards, having never been there?

Her dad was a guarantor for 4 million trolls?

You can give the family information on what they need to do, having no knowledge what so ever of the Thai legal/banking system etc....

Why don't you start up your own solicitor company over there?

[meatboy]

common sense if you know what that is. alert alert troll?

[jay1980]

Hi OP I have a solution for you.

My long lost second cousin's uncle who owned a major oil field and gold mine in timbuktu has passed away leaving an estate worth 23 trillion baht. unfortunately due to banking restrictions in this region the family cannot get to this money without a fresh bank account and a 500K baht release fee.

If you were willing to forward me this 500,000 baht and your bank account details when the funds are recovered I could pay you a 20% fee of 4.6 trillion baht and you could repay your girlfriends debt and have much money left over to buy her a new mini cooper, LV handbag, Iphone etc.

cheers

[Escape4]

If I turn the roles around, yes I would have brought up the subject if it was true. If I intended to scam, I would have waited. Which is why I am puzzled.

I do not need to have been in Thailand before to do some research about how much money teachers make.

Some people are not equipped to research this kind of stuff. Even though I know nothing now about the Thai system, I work in the financial industry and I can potentially become more knowledgeable with some research than someone with a different expertise could.

I don't want to sound pretentious. It's only a matter of what you specialize into. If the topic was art, I would steer clear...

[burgerking]

Let's say you have been warned...enough said..........

[Thaiberius]

Not in any way a criticism of the OP.

In your own country would you even consider lending or giving money to somebody on the internet you have never met? I doubt it. I don't understand why so many (mainly) guys fall for the tricks. Would you ever pay for something you have never recieved, would you ever help somebody out in a different country because they looked nice? I know there is compassion and empathism but I don't understand the stampede to bestow money upon Thai women. I really have no idea why.

[sustento]

You need to ask your landlord if he returns the deposits of people he rents bridges to

[Escape4]

Well as I said she has not asked anything yet, and it is hard to imagine a scenario where I would pay anything even if she asked. It's like making a donation to a bank!

So I am not considering giving anything. I am just wondering if it's a scam or not. In either case, I don't see how I lose a dime.

[rhythmworx]

If I turn the roles around, yes I would have brought up the subject if it was true. If I intended to scam, I would have waited. Which is why I am puzzled.

I do not need to have been in Thailand before to do some research about how much money teachers make.

Some people are not equipped to research this kind of stuff. Even though I know nothing now about the Thai system, I work in the financial industry and I can potentially become more knowledgeable with some research than someone with a different expertise could.

I don't want to sound pretentious. It's only a matter of what you specialize into. If the topic was art, I would steer clear...

No need to worry.

Have a Timeout gelato on me.

[BaldPlumber]

Someone who has never been to Thailand giving a Thai advice about their own legal system? what's not strange and trollish about that?

[Bluetongue]

She played her hand too early but she's got you wanting to see how it unfolds. Consider it an ambit claim, she mentions 4 million

but might be happy with 1/2 a mill. Seriously no one here knows the truth, go ahead and do your research but when you get here

that's when the big guns come out

[uptheos]

"The other thing which is strange is that if it is a scam, not only I have an easy out",

Yup, take it and thank Buddha for having such good luck!

[CharlieH]

RUN FORREST !

[weegee]

She played her hand too early but she's got you wanting to see how it unfolds. Consider it an ambit claim, she mentions 4 million

but might be happy with 1/2 a mill. Seriously no one here knows the truth, go ahead and do your research but when you get here

that's when the big guns come out

And they use real bullets...

[depe]

Let's say that the whole thing is true and not a scam (which it perhaps is). I would think that is it worth to continue the relationship. When you are in a relationship (and marry) with a Thai girl, you are kind of in a relationship with her family too (especially mom and dad). If they have problems with money, their daughter will most likely has her share of the problem too (she needs to support the parents etc.) and sooner or later it will be your problem too. Even if you don't directly give any money for the parents, your girlfriend will have the constant stress about the situation, and it WILL have a negative effect to your relationship (constant fights about money, etc.).

My simple advice (not only for you but a general advice): Get to know the family of the girl. Even if they are good people but they have some kind of big problem, this problem will come to your life, because in most cases the Thai families are so close, and the children will tolerate to much *hit from their parents. E.g. I have been following a case (friend of my wife): Her mother has a gambling problem (ok, she is not someone who i would call a great person). The daughter has worked her ass off, and bought lots of stuff to their home and tried to improve their life. The result: the mother has sold all the stuff (fridges, TVs, everything that has some value). The daughter just quietly agrees this (or at least this is how it seems for me). The daughter is a nice girl (trying to find a husband) but I would not recommend her to anyone, only because this mess that her family is causing...

[mickjn]

Give her the money.Give me 4 million.In 12 months I will give 2 million baht back + a bit of interest.That way you haven't done the lot.All the best

[philliphn]

depew is a wise man. Listen to what he said. Their are a lot of desirable women in Thailand. Best to find one without too much baggage. An Orphan is a posible good choice.

[transam]

OP, do you not realise there are a zillion Thai birds talking to farangs at this very moment in time via PC or iPhone, with the the prime objective of cash flow from a perceived "millionaire" by whatever means or story. I have heard the stories about birds never asking for cash, yeh, that one is just a delaying tactic to get you on board, hooked.

This bird has mentioned a rather big sum of money where only a fool would have guaranteed it, especially a low wage guy.

A few weeks back Mrs.Trans got a phone call from a lady she hadn't seen for 30 years, she had heard Mrs.Trans had married a farang and asked a friend for our phone number. The reason for the contact was she wanted to know how to meet a farang cos she had got herself into deep shit financially with no way out, except get hold of a farang "millionaire".

99.9% of this Internet chat stuff is about cash at the end of the tunnel, NOT how hansum you are.

[weegee]

OP, do you not realise there are a zillion Thai birds talking to farangs at this very moment in time via PC or iPhone, with the the prime objective of cash flow from a perceived "millionaire" by whatever means or story. I have heard the stories about birds never asking for cash, yeh, that one is just a delaying tactic to get you on board, hooked.

This bird has mentioned a rather big sum of money where only a fool would have guaranteed it, especially a low wage guy.

A few weeks back Mrs.Trans got a phone call from a lady she hadn't seen for 30 years, she had heard Mrs.Trans had married a farang and asked a friend for our phone number. The reason for the contact was she wanted to know how to meet a farang cos she had got herself into deep shit financially with no way out, except get hold of a farang "millionaire".

99.9% of this Internet chat stuff is about cash at the end of the tunnel, NOT how hansum you are.

exactly correct old fella......Your post covers it all.

[Thaiberius]

Not so much the case now but just a few years ago go to any Thai internet cafe after the bars close and you will have seen girls with multiple chat windows open typing messages of love to farangs across the globe. Not romantic intent just the desire for cash. Now it's all done on the mobile.

[uptheos]

Not so much the case now but just a few years ago go to any Thai internet cafe after the bars close and you will have seen girls with multiple chat windows open typing messages of love to farangs across the globe. Not romantic intent just the desire for cash. Now it's all done on the mobile.

They can handle two landing and two taking off at the same time.

They can move foreigners around on a calendar with slicker moves than Kasparov!

Most foreigners never see the check mate coming

[cgphuket]

4 mil is about 30 years pay for the average thai. I would not touch that story, either her dad is rich, a fool, or its s scam.

[transam]

I forgot, I personally know a couple of "ladies" who are being sent cash from farangland but have long term Thai blokes. Here it is looked at as an OK practice by others, get money bye what ever means, if a farang is daft enough to do it thats his problem.

[EyesWideOpen]

I forgot, I personally know a couple of "ladies" who are being sent cash from farangland but have long term Thai blokes. Here it is looked at as an OK practice by others, get money bye what ever means, if a farang is daft enough to do it thats his problem.

Correct.....It is in fact an industry, milking farangs for money. There should be

a warning sign at the airport. :-)

[ezzra]

The relationship roads here in Thailand are littered with farang's corpses whom they have trusted

a local lady, heed any advice you can get regarding the above, and you will the wiser....

[choochoo]

Just send her 4 million baht and she will love you long time.

Naw, true story or not (likely not) it's not your problem.

Just bringing up this on forum proves op is an idiot!

Also girl must have made a judgment op is an Id Iot.................lol.

Edited May 4, 2014 by choochoo