Coach Bags / Falang Make-up scam?

[burgdawg]

...last year I was in a pen pal relationship with a pretty Bangkok girl. Suddenly, she demanded that I bring over $40k USD in COACH bags from USA for her and "her brother" to resell. I quit writing.

Hey---for those falang readers not privileged enough to live full-time in the Kingdom, working away in FalangLand is far from easy. New terms my ears have picked up on my recent work stint back in USA include "age inappropriate" among many others.

I keep the correspondence light and chit-chatty with any Tai girls. Now being pinged with a new scam(?) approach: "...can I purchase and send the sweetie make-up, she hab none." No make-up in Thailand? Name brands are triple or more the cost.

Have others heard of such a ruse? I am starting this topic as a general invitation. I'm sure the gal is a real sweetie, but sending money or kit overseas is just not in my DNA.

Anyone else get pinged with something similar?

[Rimmer]

Not specific to Pattaya, moved to General Forum

[AYJAYDEE]

why would she buy make up if she can get you to buy it for her? and thais love to own made in usa stuff

[farang000999]

lots of stuff in the USA is significantly cheaper than in Thailand. When Thais are going to the USA it is pretty standard for their friends/coworkers to have an annoyingly long list of things for them to bring back (but not free obviously).

[bamnutsak]

Designer bags and make-up (MAC, Laura Mercier, etc.) are 2x - 5x here, so the grey-market import business, while highly illegal, is active here.

Many limited edition hand-bags are also highly prized.

There are Thai web-sites were you can pre-order items. For the most part, it is airline flight staff who are bringing these pre-ordered items back. Thai Customs / Excise have recently clamped down on this activity, both at the airport and via stings on some web-sites.

I bring back a fair amount of stuff - mostly for neighbors, friends, co-workers; they pay what I pay, but attempt to stay below the 10,000 baht limit.

Edited June 29, 2015 by bamnutsak

[Soutpeel]

thais love to own made in usa stuff

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

[tonytigerbkk]

thais love to own made in usa stuff

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

Or made using slave labour in the American prison system.

[AYJAYDEE]

thais love to own made in usa stuff

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

why would they care?

[pigeonjake]

did you talk with her on skype or was it just face book,

ide lay money it wasnt even her in the pictures,

[meatboy]

$40k thats 1.3million bht.for brother and sister.

[NeverSure]

thais love to own made in usa stuff

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

That might be true of fake stuff in Thailand, but the USA has strict laws about labeling and it must say where it is made. If it is bought in the USA and says made in USA it is.

Only Germany, Japan and the USA make quality stuff. All the rest of it is suspect. A computer made in the UK or Australia would be full of nasty insects and it would leak oil on your desk.

[Soutpeel]

thais love to own made in usa stuff

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

That might be true of fake stuff in Thailand, but the USA has strict laws about labeling and it must say where it is made. If it is bought in the USA and says made in USA it is.

Only Germany, Japan and the USA make quality stuff. All the rest of it is suspect. A computer made in the UK or Australia would be full of nasty insects and it would leak oil on your desk.

Thanks for that the Oregon Oracle, so your suggesting the Italian shoe makers and hand bag makers don't make quality stuff then, Ferrari builds crap, Aston Martin is a dud ?... Wedgewood, Purdey shotguns etc

and pray tell where is there oil in ones computer ?

Granted the link comes from liberal greenie lot but quote the relevant section so this "Made in the US" thing smoke and mirrors dear boy, smoke and mirrors

Made in the USA?

A "Made in the USA" label does not guarantee that workers behind the label were paid at least minimum wage in decent conditions.

In the U.S. sweatshops conditions exist in low wage industries that employ immigrants, like the garment industry. The U.S. Department of Labor found that 67% of garment factories in Los Angeles and 63% in New York, violate minimum wage and overtime laws. 98% of garment factories in Los Angeles have workplace health and safety problems serious enough to lead to severe injuries or death.

Another problem is that factories in U.S. territories, such as Guam, Samoa and Saipan are allowed to use the "Made in the USA" label despite the fact that their status as territories exempts them from U.S. labor laws.

http://www.veganpeace.com/sweatshops/responsible_shopping.htm

[NeverSure]

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

That might be true of fake stuff in Thailand, but the USA has strict laws about labeling and it must say where it is made. If it is bought in the USA and says made in USA it is.

Only Germany, Japan and the USA make quality stuff. All the rest of it is suspect. A computer made in the UK or Australia would be full of nasty insects and it would leak oil on your desk.

Thanks for that the Oregon Oracle, so your suggesting the Italian shoe makers and hand bag makers don't make quality stuff then, Ferrari builds crap, Aston Martin is a dud ?... Wedgewood, Purdey shotguns etc

and pray tell where is there oil in ones computer ?

Granted the link comes from liberal greenie lot but quote the relevant section so this "Made in the US" thing smoke and mirrors dear boy, smoke and mirrors

Made in the USA?

A "Made in the USA" label does not guarantee that workers behind the label were paid at least minimum wage in decent conditions.

In the U.S. sweatshops conditions exist in low wage industries that employ immigrants, like the garment industry. The U.S. Department of Labor found that 67% of garment factories in Los Angeles and 63% in New York, violate minimum wage and overtime laws. 98% of garment factories in Los Angeles have workplace health and safety problems serious enough to lead to severe injuries or death.

Another problem is that factories in U.S. territories, such as Guam, Samoa and Saipan are allowed to use the "Made in the USA" label despite the fact that their status as territories exempts them from U.S. labor laws.

http://www.veganpeace.com/sweatshops/responsible_shopping.htm

A link to a shopping guide site called Vegan Peace - wackos huh. If those things were actually happening the tiniest squeal would shut them down.

So we have to go to Italy to find a car and we didn't find a computer. Hmm.

Computers don't contain oil that I know of but if the Brits made them they sure would. I'm simply basing that on every leaking English car or motorcycle I ever saw back when the British were trying to enter the first world. I thought leaking oil was a prerequisite for all British manufacturers.

[Soutpeel]

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

That might be true of fake stuff in Thailand, but the USA has strict laws about labeling and it must say where it is made. If it is bought in the USA and says made in USA it is.

Only Germany, Japan and the USA make quality stuff. All the rest of it is suspect. A computer made in the UK or Australia would be full of nasty insects and it would leak oil on your desk.

Thanks for that the Oregon Oracle, so your suggesting the Italian shoe makers and hand bag makers don't make quality stuff then, Ferrari builds crap, Aston Martin is a dud ?... Wedgewood, Purdey shotguns etc

and pray tell where is there oil in ones computer ?

Granted the link comes from liberal greenie lot but quote the relevant section so this "Made in the US" thing smoke and mirrors dear boy, smoke and mirrors

Made in the USA?

A "Made in the USA" label does not guarantee that workers behind the label were paid at least minimum wage in decent conditions.

In the U.S. sweatshops conditions exist in low wage industries that employ immigrants, like the garment industry. The U.S. Department of Labor found that 67% of garment factories in Los Angeles and 63% in New York, violate minimum wage and overtime laws. 98% of garment factories in Los Angeles have workplace health and safety problems serious enough to lead to severe injuries or death.

Another problem is that factories in U.S. territories, such as Guam, Samoa and Saipan are allowed to use the "Made in the USA" label despite the fact that their status as territories exempts them from U.S. labor laws.

http://www.veganpeace.com/sweatshops/responsible_shopping.htm

A link to a shopping guide site called Vegan Peace - wackos huh. If those things were actually happening the tiniest squeal would shut them down.

So we have to go to Italy to find a car and we didn't find a computer. Hmm.

Computers don't contain oil that I know of but if the Brits made them they sure would. I'm simply basing that on every leaking English car or motorcycle I ever saw back when the British were trying to enter the first world. I thought leaking oil was a prerequisite for all British manufacturers.

New york times, must be wako's as well ?

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/18/world/made-usa-hard-labor-pacific-island-special-report-saipan-sweatshops-are-no.html

[AYJAYDEE]

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

That might be true of fake stuff in Thailand, but the USA has strict laws about labeling and it must say where it is made. If it is bought in the USA and says made in USA it is.

Only Germany, Japan and the USA make quality stuff. All the rest of it is suspect. A computer made in the UK or Australia would be full of nasty insects and it would leak oil on your desk.

Thanks for that the Oregon Oracle, so your suggesting the Italian shoe makers and hand bag makers don't make quality stuff then, Ferrari builds crap, Aston Martin is a dud ?... Wedgewood, Purdey shotguns etc

and pray tell where is there oil in ones computer ?

Granted the link comes from liberal greenie lot but quote the relevant section so this "Made in the US" thing smoke and mirrors dear boy, smoke and mirrors

Made in the USA?

A "Made in the USA" label does not guarantee that workers behind the label were paid at least minimum wage in decent conditions.

In the U.S. sweatshops conditions exist in low wage industries that employ immigrants, like the garment industry. The U.S. Department of Labor found that 67% of garment factories in Los Angeles and 63% in New York, violate minimum wage and overtime laws. 98% of garment factories in Los Angeles have workplace health and safety problems serious enough to lead to severe injuries or death.

Another problem is that factories in U.S. territories, such as Guam, Samoa and Saipan are allowed to use the "Made in the USA" label despite the fact that their status as territories exempts them from U.S. labor laws.

http://www.veganpeace.com/sweatshops/responsible_shopping.htm

A link to a shopping guide site called Vegan Peace - wackos huh. If those things were actually happening the tiniest squeal would shut them down.

So we have to go to Italy to find a car and we didn't find a computer. Hmm.

Computers don't contain oil that I know of but if the Brits made them they sure would. I'm simply basing that on every leaking English car or motorcycle I ever saw back when the British were trying to enter the first world. I thought leaking oil was a prerequisite for all British manufacturers.

your ignorance is appalling.

[pigeonjake]

neversure,,

you having a bad day,?

i cant believ you just wrote that,!

when briton was trying to enter the 1st world,

ill tell you the same as i once told a yank QA man who thought he new it all, he didnt have a clue,

i told him, we the brits, were building iron bridges, trains, and other engineering things when you lot were still chasing indians around on horses,

america isnt the capital of all good engineering things in this world

[Soutpeel]

neversure,,

you having a bad day,?

i cant believ you just wrote that,!

when briton was trying to enter the 1st world,

ill tell you the same as i once told a yank QA man who thought he new it all, he didnt have a clue,

i told him, we the brits, were building iron bridges, trains, and other engineering things when you lot were still chasing indians around on horses,

america isnt the capital of all good engineering things in this world

Jake,

this is what happens when the Oregon Oracle's search engine breaks down and he cant "Google" his "knowledge"

[GuestHouse]

Computers don't contain oil that I know of but if the Brits made them they sure would. I'm simply basing that on every leaking English car or motorcycle I ever saw back when the British were trying to enter the first world. I thought leaking oil was a prerequisite for all British manufacturers.

The leaky oil thing was a diversionary tactic.

In the meantime, the Brits had invented the mathematics that drives computers (George Boole, 1802~ 1864, Lincoln, UK), Ada Lovelace (1815~1852, London) gave the world the first computer language, Charles Babbage (1791~1871, London) inventor of the first programable computer and of course Alan Turing, (1912~1954, London), father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.

The sneaky Brits where busy putting something other than oil in computers (which they invented) ... functionality and intelligence.

[robblok]

Funny all those people proud about things they did not do themselves but just someone who lived in the same country. Then you got other people putting down countries so their country looks better. Nationalism.. great.. wonder how wars get started.

Just be proud of your own accomplishments, if you don't have any.. then become a nationalist.

Edited June 30, 2015 by robblok

[FritsSikkink]

thais love to own made in usa stuff

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

Only Germany, Japan and the USA make quality stuff. All the rest of it is suspect. A computer made in the UK or Australia would be full of nasty insects and it would leak oil on your desk.

your cars are pretty low quality to start with

[GuestHouse]

Just be proud of your own accomplishments, if you don't have any.. then become a nationalist.

Posting on the matter of one's own acheivements here on TV would be second only to openning a discusion on one's family and loved ones in terms of being aninvite to spite, hatered and envy.

Even to be proud of the acheivements of one's own countrymen upsets some.

Let's. All dumb it down, lest we upset someone.

Edited June 30, 2015 by GuestHouse

[robblok]

Just be proud of your own accomplishments, if you don't have any.. then become a nationalist.

Posting on the matter of one's own acheivements here on TV would be second only to openning a discusion on one's family and loved one's in terms of being aninvite to spite, hatered and envy.

Even to be proud of the acheivements of one's own countrymen upsets some.

Let's. All dumb it down, lest we upset someone.

True, but what is the point of putting others down and thinking your country is so good while in fact it has nothing to do with you. Just being born in a country does not make you smarter better ect as others. Your born with a brain and after that you set out in life and do your thing. Some are more successful as others but to attribute that to being from a certain country its just crazy.

Its like daily news quoting the intelligence of the French and because it was below that of the Brits celebrating it while in Europe (at least according to that article) the English are just average. But it does not say a thing about individual French or Brits just about averages.

You can have bad smelling English and good smelling French. You can have stupid Dutch and bright Brits but it does not say a thing about the individual posting all that stuff that makes him feel good. What is the point in feeling proud for something you have absolutely no influence in. Its like feeling better as others because your soccer team won the world cup but you can't play soccer yourself.

I don't feel proud for things I have absolutely no influence in, there is no point to it. I would feel proud if I cleaned up a park with a group of people and kept it clean improving on it. I would feel proud if I really accomplished something important but not because one of my countrymen did something.

That is why I also feel no guilt or shame when some stupid Dutch drug dealer is caught as it has no connection with me. I might feel ashamed if it was my brother or family but even then, it was not me.

My 2 cents.

[topt]

Just be proud of your own accomplishments, if you don't have any.. then become a nationalist.

Posting on the matter of one's own acheivements here on TV would be second only to openning a discusion on one's family and loved one's in terms of being aninvite to spite, hatered and envy.

Even to be proud of the acheivements of one's own countrymen upsets some.

Let's. All dumb it down, lest we upset someone.

True, but what is the point of putting others down and thinking your country is so good while in fact it has nothing to do with you. Just being born in a country does not make you smarter better ect as others. Your born with a brain and after that you set out in life and do your thing. Some are more successful as others but to attribute that to being from a certain country its just crazy.

Its like daily news quoting the intelligence of the French and because it was below that of the Brits celebrating it while in Europe (at least according to that article) the English are just average. But it does not say a thing about individual French or Brits just about averages.

You can have bad smelling English and good smelling French. You can have stupid Dutch and bright Brits but it does not say a thing about the individual posting all that stuff that makes him feel good. What is the point in feeling proud for something you have absolutely no influence in. Its like feeling better as others because your soccer team won the world cup but you can't play soccer yourself.

I don't feel proud for things I have absolutely no influence in, there is no point to it. I would feel proud if I cleaned up a park with a group of people and kept it clean improving on it. I would feel proud if I really accomplished something important but not because one of my countrymen did something.

That is why I also feel no guilt or shame when some stupid Dutch drug dealer is caught as it has no connection with me. I might feel ashamed if it was my brother or family but even then, it was not me.

My 2 cents.

Robblok I think (hope) you missed the earlier point. NS had a weird bash without basis (and without using any emoticons to perhaps suggest he was pulling peoples legs) at a certain country and some other posters jumped in to disprove his comments with examples.

I don't think anybody was suggesting they or their country was better in all aspects

[pigeonjake]

rob,

its called just being proud of your country,

[thaibeachlovers]

Computers don't contain oil that I know of but if the Brits made them they sure would. I'm simply basing that on every leaking English car or motorcycle I ever saw back when the British were trying to enter the first world. I thought leaking oil was a prerequisite for all British manufacturers.

The leaky oil thing was a diversionary tactic.

In the meantime, the Brits had invented the mathematics that drives computers (George Boole, 1802~ 1864, Lincoln, UK), Ada Lovelace (1815~1852, London) gave the world the first computer language, Charles Babbage (1791~1871, London) inventor of the first programable computer and of course Alan Turing, (1912~1954, London), father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.

The sneaky Brits where busy putting something other than oil in computers (which they invented) ... functionality and intelligence.

I always feel sad when I see Turing mentioned. Probably won the war for the Allies by breaking the Nazi codes only to be prosecuted by vile British authorities for homosexuality and died at 41 years old.

[thaibeachlovers]

thais love to own made in usa stuff

This maybe true but most of the "made in the USA" stuff is made in sweat shops in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam etc.

Only Germany, Japan and the USA make quality stuff. All the rest of it is suspect. A computer made in the UK or Australia would be full of nasty insects and it would leak oil on your desk.

your cars are pretty low quality to start with

If you mean British cars, as one that used to work on British made vehicles I can state that they were terrible pieces of junk to work on.

Edited June 30, 2015 by thaibeachlovers

[HooHaa]

Computers don't contain oil that I know of but if the Brits made them they sure would. I'm simply basing that on every leaking English car or motorcycle I ever saw back when the British were trying to enter the first world. I thought leaking oil was a prerequisite for all British manufacturers.

The leaky oil thing was a diversionary tactic.

In the meantime, the Brits had invented the mathematics that drives computers (George Boole, 1802~ 1864, Lincoln, UK), Ada Lovelace (1815~1852, London) gave the world the first computer language, Charles Babbage (1791~1871, London) inventor of the first programable computer and of course Alan Turing, (1912~1954, London), father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.

The sneaky Brits where busy putting something other than oil in computers (which they invented) ... functionality and intelligence.

I always feel sad when I see Turing mentioned. Probably won the war for the Allies by breaking the Nazi codes only to be prosecuted by vile British authorities for homosexuality and died at 41 years old.

but yay for national pride!

[robblok]

Computers don't contain oil that I know of but if the Brits made them they sure would. I'm simply basing that on every leaking English car or motorcycle I ever saw back when the British were trying to enter the first world. I thought leaking oil was a prerequisite for all British manufacturers.

The leaky oil thing was a diversionary tactic.

In the meantime, the Brits had invented the mathematics that drives computers (George Boole, 1802~ 1864, Lincoln, UK), Ada Lovelace (1815~1852, London) gave the world the first computer language, Charles Babbage (1791~1871, London) inventor of the first programable computer and of course Alan Turing, (1912~1954, London), father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.

The sneaky Brits where busy putting something other than oil in computers (which they invented) ... functionality and intelligence.

I always feel sad when I see Turing mentioned. Probably won the war for the Allies by breaking the Nazi codes only to be prosecuted by vile British authorities for homosexuality and died at 41 years old.

but yay for national pride!

That certainly was a black page in British history. Amazing the guy was so important for the war effort and then something like that.

[farang000999]

"Oregon Oracle"

55555555

[wprime]

Suddenly, she demanded that I bring over $40k USD in COACH bags from USA for her and "her brother" to resell.

Seems legit