'Black money scammers' busted in Pathum Thani

[webfact]

'Black Money Scammers' Busted In Pathum Thani
By Khaosod English



An example of "whitened money" the suspects reportedly showed to the victim.

PATHUM THANI - Police say they have arrested a group of Thais and Sierra Leonean who defrauded more than 640,000 baht from a Thai man in a "black money scam."

According to Pol.Maj.Gen. Montri Yimyaem, the four suspects, three Thais and one Sierra Leonean, told a 49-year-old man that they possessed a large bulk of "black money," blackened Pound Sterlings allegedly funneled by the Western governments to Sierra Leone during its civil wars in the 1990s.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Montri said the four suspects told the victim that the money could only be "cleaned" of its special black ink by a certain cleaning device, but the machine needed an expensive repair because it could turn the "black money" usable. The four suspects then reportedly promised that they will return a two-percent cut of the "cleaned money" to the victim if he agreed to pay for the repair.

The scheme is in fact an decades-old fraud known as "black money scam," as there is no such thing as the blackened money in the first place, Pol.Maj.Gen. Montri said at the press conference today.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1416903257

-- Khaosod English 2014-11-25

[LuckyLew]

wasn't there another black money scam a week or two ago?

a fool and his money are soon parted ...

if it sounds too good to be true ...

greed .... 555

[eddiekho]

joke of the day....555

[worgeordie]

How did someone so stupid ever earn 640,000 THB ?,

greed and stupidity don't go hand in hand,the only

change the scammers have made is to use pounds

instead of the usual dollars,

regards Worgeordie

[frollywolly]

Hope the poor sod got to keep the fifty quid

[Misterwhisper]

Everyone falling for that scam (which has been around literally for decades!) should be punished, too.

Firstly for being so immeasurably stupid and gullible; secondly for being so disgustingly greedy; thirdly for abetting and assisting in a potential crime (after all, that money was supposed to have been "spirited away" illegally); and lastly because even as an adult they still haven't learned the meaning of the phrase "there is no such thing as a free lunch".

I am sorry, but I have absolutely no empathy for this sort of people.

[noitom]

A decades old scam, black money. But the Thai went for it. He had his eye on the prize - the 2%, and no reasoning skills. Driven by pure greed and scamming instinct,

[JeremyBowskill]

So if the money was funneled there in the 90's, why is the 50 the new kind that is only a couple of years old?

[gaazzaazz]

I love Thai Visa Frummers - The news is 1/10 of the story - the comments are much more insightful and probing. (Frummers = Forum users)

[halloween]

I await the first racism cry for putting a Sierra Leone national and black in the same article.

[godden]

Black money, where is the PC brigade.

[ezzra]

I await the first racism cry for putting a Sierra Leone national and black in the same article.

You know what they say... be careful what you wish/wait for...

[Lupatria]

Sierra Leone is making the news this week. They should give the scammers a reward for easily identifying the most stupid people around.

[MisterTee]

wasn't there another black money scam a week or two ago?

a fool and his money are soon parted ...

if it sounds too good to be true ...

greed .... 555

"A fool and his money are soon parted"... how true! but they were lucky to get together in the first place.

[maidee]

hahaha

those involved deserved to be cheated

greed & stupidity

a dangerous mix

[Suffinator]

There's only two ways anyone could possibly fall foul to such a scam - Greed and Stupidity ... and we all know just how greedy and stupid Thais can be.

Zero sympathy to any fool who falls foul to such a scam.

[trogers]

How did someone so stupid ever earn 640,000 THB ?,

greed and stupidity don't go hand in hand,the only

change the scammers have made is to use pounds

instead of the usual dollars,

regards Worgeordie

Probably got the money through luck in rubbing tree barks...a past time requiring similar mental skill.

[gemini81]

The 'victim' is more of a danger to society than the culprits, being retarded enough to fall for it.

[Bignose]

To all those worldly wise and intuitive people posting their singularly sympathetic opinions for the conned victim, spare a thought for someone who has lost a lot of money.

Yes in the cold light of day it seems inconceivable that someone should still fall for this kind of scam, but under certain circumstances we can all make stupid mistakes. The scammers are not stupid and know how to push buttons, they recognize the weaknesses in people and they know how to exploit them. Yes greed is a contributing factor but who among us doesn't suffer from that from time to time?

There may be some self gratifying glee in witnessing someone losing their nest egg or pocket money, but how about practicing some self control, we have all been scammed at some time. Whether it was buying a car, a home, an over priced piece of clothing or a divorce, we have all paid out at some time...