Foreign men asking randoms to borrow them cash

[payroom]

Had a interesting experience yesterday when arriving at the Taxi area of Suvarnabhumi.

I came out and desided to take a sigarette before continuing my trip.

I sat down and it didn't take long before a Australian guy approached me asking for a sigarette.

I gave him one and he asked the usual smalltalk questions, where I was from and stuff like that. He was very polite and humble.

Anyways after a little standard smalltalk about how cold my country is and stuff like that I started to get a little suspissious about this man.

Because he started telling me a story about how he had been in Thailand to guest a friends wedding in "the jungle" as he said. And now he was on his way back to his oil job in omar or something like that. Then he slowly came to the point of his story, that he had managed to forget his passport and his money at the hotel and that the hotel owners demanded that only he could come and pick it up. Something I guess is true if it really happens.

Then he told me he was there whitout money and had talked to someone at the airport about getting a check of some kind for a bus ticket back to the hotel. (Btw the buss ticket was priced 400 baht, so I guess he was going a long way) But the airport staff didn't care and he had to wait to 7 a'clock before the right man came to work so he would write him this check.

And now I was thinking something like " Come on, just ask me if I can borrow you the 400 baht instead of all this unnesessary details"

And then he finally asked if he by any chance could borrow 400 baht and we could arrange the backpayment through mail. I told him "Sorry, you seem like a good man but I don't trust people I've just met. And that is a principle no mather what"

He told me that was a good thing and excused himself for even asking.

Then I told him it was time to go and get ripped of by the Taxi-guys and I left.

It's my third time in Thailand and It's not the first time foreign men contact me and start the conversation to tell me a story about how the ATM took their card or that their card is broken etc. I Guess i look like a easy target since i am young and travelling alone.

The man in this story was also smelling of alcohol, but hey, he came from a wedding so I guess that's legit.

And he tried to give me the impression that he was a first time traveler and that I should feel bad for him.

I just write this like a warning to new travelers with a good heart so you don't get ripped off before you even meet the taxi drivers.

Because theese scammers really play on peoples emphatism and it seems to be happening more often.

Allthough, for all I know his story was true, but it was to manny red flags waiving in the wind IMO.

[Thian]

Yup there are foreigners here doing that.

There's also a gang trying to lure people into a house and then drug them...be aware...They have tried me about 5 times.

[Youaredoomed]

Been going on for years.

The Airports being a good place full of new arrivals with full wallets on that 'I'm back in Bangkok, I'm going to have sex tonight' or the 'Wahey! I'm on holiday' euphoria buzz, who will unbelt so paltry a sum, without a flicker thus making it a rich hunting ground for such unfortunates.

Some may remember the English lad(s) a few years ago on the cadge in Lower Sukhumwit. Always the same tale of a 'stolen' passport and money by bargirls who had got them 'drunk' and stolen everything.....

A pal of mine and I came across him firstly near the footbridge near the Ploenchit Centre, then about a week later in Ko Chang then there were reports about him on here, and a few other fora/blogs etc, from a few other locations.

Personally I hate these situations. When I came across the Brit as mentioned above, he said he needed 400B to call home, As it happened I had a TOT international call phone card still with plenty of credit on it to call home. He got quite arsey with me, when I offered it to him, and a few days later I saw him getting abusive to a young couple. He got a piece of my mind when I saw him and a gaggle of scrotes drunk as skunks in Ko Chang, so it looks like their little venture worked.

I'd have said the best thing you could have done to make certain, would have been to go with him to the ticket window and actually buy his ticket thus determining for yourself if his story was true. In my experience if someone is really in need, ANY proffered assistance - be it a bus ticket or a plate of grub, packet of smokes - over cash will be gratefully accepted.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Youaredoomed

[KittenKong]

Nothing new.

I remember farangs doing this 40 years ago. I also remember Thai taxi drivers drugging passengers, and various scams involving gambling and souvenir shops.

Thailand has always had more than its fair share of crooks, of all skin colours.

[bermondburi]

At the smoking area at the old airport there were always people asking for ten baht or something, the story being that they had no money for the 500 baht leaving tax.

[Pib]

Nothing new...been going on for a long time...begging/panhandling has no nationality limits. Every few years I run into a farang who is trying to get money via small talk which leads to a small story. Just the other day in a market a Japanese guy was begging by walking around holding a sign in Thai asking for money...the Thai wife asked some of the market vendors about the guy and they said he's Japanese and comes around daily.

[Rob13]

Probably friends of that clown pants girl in CM

[ghworker2010]

Random desperate farang scamming money off other expats is very common. In the last few years Ive had my own experiences. Once an old farang helped me and I compensated him fairly for his help. Then after that he kept asking and I kept saying no. He had no shame.

Then I made a new friend. A young guy in his early 30s from europe who had business interests in I.T related field back home. I later realised that it wasnt a true friendship at all. He was trying to befriend me so that I would invest in websites here in LOS. I kept saying no to him and sure enough the friendship ended. I was always suspicious of him as he said that he didnt own a mobile phone. He only gave out his misus phone number. For a techie guy it was weird. Also, he said that he proposed to stick business cards on the back of toilet doors in bangkok (for his new proposed website). I thought to myself what a joke. This guy is supposed to be in the techie business and obviously the internet is the only worthwhile advertising tool.

Dont lend any farang money - even if they are a so called friend.

[Minnie the Minx]

If they do something to earn it like sing, juggle, magic tricks I'll give, if not I don't give to beggars of any race.

[Berkshire]

This thread reminds me of other threads that ask why farangs don't say hi to each other (random strangers), or don't stick together, or blah blah blah. The OP demonstrates why. Yes, crooks and scammers come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. But when you let your guard down because a stranger looks to be "one of your own," you become much more vulnerable.

[DavisH]

This thread reminds me of other threads that ask why farangs don't say hi to each other (random strangers), or don't stick together, or blah blah blah. The OP demonstrates why. Yes, crooks and scammers come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. But when you let your guard down because a stranger looks to be "one of your own," you become much more vulnerable.

Lost passport / lost plane ticket seems to be the flavour of the month. Beware and avoid these people.

[stickylies]

If they do something to earn it like sing, juggle, magic tricks I'll give, if not I don't give to beggars of any race.

Do my laundry, clean my house, scratch my back... Yeah can spare 10thb for that but the Thai ladies doing aforementioned jobs won't be happy so I wont bother

[Gary A]

I learned many years ago that you have to take care of number one, yourself, because no one else is going to. If someone gets into a position that they have to beg, that's their problem and certainly not my problem. I walk away from them. I'm not a particularly outgoing social person and if some stranger tries to start a conversation with me, red flags immediately go up. I used to politely listen to hard luck stories but I have learned that it is much more simple to just walk away.

[sandgroper2]

"Borrow them" ???

[Boycie]

At the smoking area at the old airport there were always people asking for ten baht or something, the story being that they had no money for the 500 baht leaving tax.

Had a young lad that was on the same flight as myself back to London and asked to borrow 500 baht for the departure tax fee. He was all out of cash and said he would repay me at LHR, his father would me meeting him.

I had a spare 500baht and thought, i was young once, here you go no problem. Had a pleasant surprise at LHR when the young lad came looking for me and handed me a £10 note, saying thankyou very much.

Was even more surprised thou, when he asked for £2 change!!

[dddave]

My first reaction to this story was the same as all the above, then I remembered what had happened to my sister several years ago.

Though in their 70's, she and her husband were doing volunteer development work in Mali, West Africa. They were returning to the US via France after completing a 3 month stay. My brother in law is Dutch and he decided to go to Holland and visit family for a week. My sister, Gail, elected to travel home on her own.

Like many major cities, Paris has two international airports, Charles DeGaul and Orly. They arrived together from Mali at Orly where Wim, my brother in law caught his flight to Holland. Gail's US flight was to depart from from CDG. After she had seen Wim off, she went to get transportation to CDG and at some point, discovered she had lost her wallet which contained all her money and credit cards. She was fortunate that her passport was in a pocket.

She was virtually penniless. The transportation to CDG was about $30-40 and her flight was departing in six hours. She tried talking to her airline office, the police, any official she could find but nobody could help her; she was stranded.

She had no choice: she started asking passers-by if they could help and understandably, got the same reaction to her story as that of the OP had and all previous posters on this thread...and initially my own as well. Gail is always somewhat disheveled, easy to pass as an eccentric...crazy lady. Things were looking pretty desperate.

Then a young woman approached her and said "I'll help you." She gave Gail $50 cash. When Gail asked for her contact information so she could repay the money once she got back home, the woman said it wasn't necessary. She went on that somebody had helped her in a similar situation years before and that she had never forgotten the kindness of that stranger so she was helping my sister as a way of repaying that trust. She left it at that and my sister was able to get to CDG and safely home.

I also have been approached in airports, once even by a seatmate and numerous times around Sukhumvit. I have always reacted with skepticism: "Sorry, can't help you."

It really is a tough call. People do get into desperate situations, as my sister did and it could easily happen to any of us.

Think about it. What would you do if you got off a flight in a foreign city and realized you had lost your wallet; only change in your pocket?

No credit cards, no cash.

Edited January 15, 2016 by dddave

[TheCruncher]

Yup there are foreigners here doing that.

There's also a gang trying to lure people into a house and then drug them...be aware...They have tried me about 5 times.

Tried it on you 5 times? You must have written something on your forehead.

[chrisinth]

Yup there are foreigners here doing that.

There's also a gang trying to lure people into a house and then drug them...be aware...They have tried me about 5 times.

Tried it on you 5 times? You must have written something on your forehead.

Underneath the tattoo..............................

[stickylies]

Yup there are foreigners here doing that.

There's also a gang trying to lure people into a house and then drug them...be aware...They have tried me about 5 times.

Tried it on you 5 times? You must have written something on your forehead.

most probably the magic words: "TRY ME"

[Thian]

Yup there are foreigners here doing that.

There's also a gang trying to lure people into a house and then drug them...be aware...They have tried me about 5 times.

Tried it on you 5 times? You must have written something on your forehead.

most probably the magic words: "TRY ME"

2 times it were Malaysians who operate at the entrance of the MBK, i liked to go out there for a smoke while shopping. Right in front of the police booth with the roof as a policehelmet.

2 times at Siam Paragon/Discovery mall, that was a lady from Thailand, she did that again one year after the first time with the same stupid line : I like your haircut, where did you get that? I even made a pic of her and reported it at the reception but they couldn't be bothered.

1 time was at the BTS, a guy from the Phillipines with a huge scarf on his cheek, he wanted me to talk to his mum because his sister was going to work as a nurse in Europe and her mum was worried. He even knew the hospital in my homecountry where she was going to work.

If you wear farang clothes and look white they will try you. Don't wear Teva sandals and a backpack, then you look like a 100% tourist.

This scam has been going on for years, they want you to go into a house, drug you and then gamble. They let you win 2 times and the 3rd time you loose all. They also ask you before it all starts if you have creditcards on you.

They also got me once but i refused to go in their house while we arrived there. I told the taxi to drive to a restaurant and there i would speak to mum. So the taxi drove off and while driving the guy jumped out of the taxi.

This scam has been filmed some years later by a reporter with hidden camera's. It was on national tv in my homecountry....together with many other scams happening in Thailand, from the goldshops.

Since then i never speak to strangers but i've been approached more times. Probably from the same gang.

I can find the tv program online but you guys can't understand the language. They show full faces and all, also from the goldshops who scam.

[fey]

People with jobs dont travel with less then 500 baht. You just need that for emergencies, a coffee, a hotel in case something goes wrong, whatever.

Have never been approached in this way in over 3 years here, but I've heard about it enough times to think its legit. If your getting it often some of its probably you.

[djayz]

My first reaction to this story was the same as all the above, then I remembered what had happened to my sister several years ago.

Though in their 70's, she and her husband were doing volunteer development work in Mali, West Africa. They were returning to the US via France after completing a 3 month stay. My brother in law is Dutch and he decided to go to Holland and visit family for a week. My sister, Gail, elected to travel home on her own.

Like many major cities, Paris has two international airports, Charles DeGaul and Orly. They arrived together from Mali at Orly where Wim, my brother in law caught his flight to Holland. Gail's US flight was to depart from from CDG. After she had seen Wim off, she went to get transportation to CDG and at some point, discovered she had lost her wallet which contained all her money and credit cards. She was fortunate that her passport was in a pocket.

She was virtually penniless. The transportation to CDG was about $30-40 and her flight was departing in six hours. She tried talking to her airline office, the police, any official she could find but nobody could help her; she was stranded.

She had no choice: she started asking passers-by if they could help and understandably, got the same reaction to her story as that of the OP had and all previous posters on this thread...and initially my own as well. Gail is always somewhat disheveled, easy to pass as an eccentric...crazy lady. Things were looking pretty desperate.

Then a young woman approached her and said "I'll help you." She gave Gail $50 cash. When Gail asked for her contact information so she could repay the money once she got back home, the woman said it wasn't necessary. She went on that somebody had helped her in a similar situation years before and that she had never forgotten the kindness of that stranger so she was helping my sister as a way of repaying that trust. She left it at that and my sister was able to get to CDG and safely home.

I also have been approached in airports, once even by a seatmate and numerous times around Sukhumvit. I have always reacted with skepticism: "Sorry, can't help you."

It really is a tough call. People do get into desperate situations, as my sister did and it could easily happen to any of us.

Think about it. What would you do if you got off a flight in a foreign city and realized you had lost your wallet; only change in your pocket?

No credit cards, no cash.

That's actually a very good point. I never thought about it like that. I generally distrust strangers who talk to me here in SE Asia or any poor country - irrespective of their skin colour or nationality.

It's a tough call - should I help or not?

Most people probably want to help people in need, but nobody likes to be made a fool of.

[chickenslegs]

If they do something to earn it like sing, juggle, magic tricks I'll give, if not I don't give to beggars of any race.

Nice idea.

But foreigners would need a work permit.

[rws85]

Wasn't this bloke was it?

[cyberfarang]

He asked for a sigarette. He must have been drunk.

I`ve been approached like this many times. They seem to be either Brits or Australians. They try to play on our pity but in Thailand taking pity is a sign of weakness. Tell them to go away and if they still hang about, kick them to the kerb.

[puukao]

I know this guy!!!

Actually, there was a hidden camera for a TV show.

IF you gave him 400 baht, they give you 1 million baht!!!!

sorry, the show stopped filming.

Only had 1 winner out of 9128374982372 farangs who come to Thailand to be "nice"

[phycokiller]

Ive meet a few guys that pay for their trips to Thailand by asking people for money as passport and bankcards stolen, combined with shoplifting, and they are very successful. They arent happy individuals though, suicidal and have fantasies of taking out as many people as they can when they do, quite strange and disturbing how common that fantasy has become. Fortunately they arent capable of getting anything done or they probably wouldnt be in the situation they are, although one did jump to his death off a balcony in Pattaya

Edited January 15, 2016 by phycokiller

[Howitzer]

Thank god i am not farang. Holy lord how many degenerate farang there are.

[gk10002000]

One USA fellow singled me out as I got off the bus from BKK to Pattaya in Pattaya. The usual story about lost wallet, his hotel was letting him stay until money was wired and ID was sorted out. He needed temporary living cash. He came from a part of the USA not far from where I grew up so in the interest of good karm I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I have traveled quite a bit so if a traveler is a bit stuck I have a sympathetic ear. Surprisingly a few days later my hotel room phone rang and the guy was down in the lobby. I said good. You got my money? He said no, he just wanted to know if I wanted to get together and go out. Not a date thing, just of course me pay for food and what not. So he was scamming and I don't wish him any well ness. Two other times, one year apart in Pattaya on Soi Bukhao, this little skinny Indian relatively fair skinned middle aged man approached me with the story about funds coming soon, etc. Obviously he didn't remember me from the year before. I feel a bit bad for somebody that has no means to support themselves but want to stay and hang out in Thailand. I know it is not easy, but you got to suck it up and get back home and to work.

[bendejo]

Friend of mine once got hit up by a Nigerian in lower Suk, the guy trying to run the usual a little money gets you a lot of money scam on him in realtime. He had trouble shaking the guy off and things started getting ugly. He managed to slip away without causing an international incident.