What's the best scam you've come across in Thailand?

[kayo]

The people who do no fear God to be punished by cheating, deceiving and stealing from others, they can do anything to benefit themselves as long as no any tangible evidence,

Unfortunately, this is totally unethical, what a shame !!

I am agnostic, but it does not mean I go around cheating, deceiving, and stealing. Not being afraid of punishment has nothing to do with the other qualities you named.

I too am agnostic, but there's plenty of evidence of lying, cheating, stealing (from rich and poor), deceiving, even rape and sodomy among the elite of the God-fearing community. All/any God-fearing community.

Edited March 30, 2016 by kayo

[TuskegeeBen]

A Swiss bloke, together with his Thai wife, selling used city cars in Pattaya.

Edited April 1, 2016 by TuskegeeBen

[TuskegeeBen]

The people who do no fear God to be punished by cheating, deceiving and stealing from others, they can do anything to benefit themselves as long as no any tangible evidence,

Unfortunately, this is totally unethical, what a shame !!

I am agnostic, but it does not mean I go around cheating, deceiving, and stealing. Not being afraid of punishment has nothing to do with the other qualities you named.

I too am agnostic, but there's plenty of evidence of lying, cheating, stealing (from rich and poor), deceiving, even rape and sodomy among the elite of the God-fearing community. All/any God-fearing community.

God-fearing, you say? Is that just figuratively speaking? If not, then how could anyone possibly love a person they're afraid of?

[Saastrajaa]

Other than bad taxi drivers taking the piss when choosing the route they like for a trip into town it seems I have been lucky. But there is one question I have, has anyone ever bothered to listen to the entire lucky man scam that used to be run by the Indian fellows in lower Suk? I have not seen them in a long while but I can count the times I have went to lower Suk on one hard in the last year. But has anyone ever bothered to listen to it?

Plenty of people have stood there and listened to the entire "lucky man" scam, and for plenty, it has ended with them giving the man money.

I don't know if he still does this, but his M.O. (at least for the guy who stood on the sidewalk between Sukhumvit sois 5 and 3) used to be to get the mark going on the sidewalk, and then bring him in to Starbucks to sit down at a table (they never order anything, either) for the "close".

Once, I was sitting in that Starbucks, and saw the "Lucky Man" guy and his assistant bring some poor sucker in. But that particular day, a previous mark who had been scammed by the guy apparently saw him and went out for the cops. Two cops came in and took the "Lucky Man" away. I don't know how that particular scenario ended, though...

[FidelityCheckOnline]

I heard of a case where somebody got a Limo from the airport instead of a Taxi by mistake. The limo driver stopped on the road just outside the airport and waved down a Taxi . he gave the Taxi driver the money to drive into town and swapped the customers suitcase over. When the customer got out to follow his suitcase he drove off pocketing the money he had been given for the trip into town.

[Rob8891]

Someone should record all this stuff and flog it off to naïve tourists.

Ah, wait.....

[neverdie]

Someone should record all this stuff and flog it off to naïve tourists.

Ah, wait.....

I read a book, not a very good book, it was a poorly written piece about Thailand written by an obvious sexpat who passes herself off as an expert in relation to everything about Thailand. The reality is, she wouldn't have a clue about Thailand and gained most of her experience in the seedy sois and hovels scattered around the place. I looked into the author and subsequently had a huge laugh. What a sad sad thing she was.

Bit of a scam, taking money from folks passing yourself of as one thing, when in fact you are completely another thing.

Shame on her.

[sipi]

Someone should record all this stuff and flog it off to naïve tourists.

Ah, wait.....

I read a book, not a very good book, it was a poorly written piece about Thailand written by an obvious sexpat who passes herself off as an expert in relation to everything about Thailand. The reality is, she wouldn't have a clue about Thailand and gained most of her experience in the seedy sois and hovels scattered around the place. I looked into the author and subsequently had a huge laugh. What a sad sad thing she was.

Bit of a scam, taking money from folks passing yourself of as one thing, when in fact you are completely another thing.

Shame on her.

Was this book written by a woman? It just seems unusual.

[neverdie]

Someone should record all this stuff and flog it off to naïve tourists.

Ah, wait.....

I read a book, not a very good book, it was a poorly written piece about Thailand written by an obvious sexpat who passes herself off as an expert in relation to everything about Thailand. The reality is, she wouldn't have a clue about Thailand and gained most of her experience in the seedy sois and hovels scattered around the place. I looked into the author and subsequently had a huge laugh. What a sad sad thing she was.

Bit of a scam, taking money from folks passing yourself of as one thing, when in fact you are completely another thing.

Shame on her.

Was this book written by a woman? It just seems unusual.

Well, I think so, it had to be a woman, she had huge breasts, couldn't be a man.

[impulse]

Well, I think so, it had to be a woman, she had huge breasts, couldn't be a man.

You are, of course, aware this is a forum about Thailand...

[Lex Talionis]

I heard of a case where somebody got a Limo from the airport instead of a Taxi by mistake. The limo driver stopped on the road just outside the airport and waved down a Taxi . he gave the Taxi driver the money to drive into town and swapped the customers suitcase over. When the customer got out to follow his suitcase he drove off pocketing the money he had been given for the trip into town.

This story makes no sense. Who is the "he" in the last sentence? The taxi driver? You mean to say the taxi driver drove off with not just the money but also the luggage? And what became of the limo driver? Did he drive off as well?

[Rhys]

Thai Education and some so-called students.... come to class or not come to class..graduate

[neverdie]

Well, I think so, it had to be a woman, she had huge breasts, couldn't be a man.

You are, of course, aware this is a forum about Thailand...

Fair point too.

I'm not sure about the author, only that they wouldn't know sheet from clay.

[bangkokjulia]

Can you elaborate re this author? She sounds dubious at best. Does she trawl the bars or work in them?

[dick dasterdly]

Other than bad taxi drivers taking the piss when choosing the route they like for a trip into town it seems I have been lucky. But there is one question I have, has anyone ever bothered to listen to the entire lucky man scam that used to be run by the Indian fellows in lower Suk? I have not seen them in a long while but I can count the times I have went to lower Suk on one hard in the last year. But has anyone ever bothered to listen to it?

Plenty of people have stood there and listened to the entire "lucky man" scam, and for plenty, it has ended with them giving the man money.

I don't know if he still does this, but his M.O. (at least for the guy who stood on the sidewalk between Sukhumvit sois 5 and 3) used to be to get the mark going on the sidewalk, and then bring him in to Starbucks to sit down at a table (they never order anything, either) for the "close".

Once, I was sitting in that Starbucks, and saw the "Lucky Man" guy and his assistant bring some poor sucker in. But that particular day, a previous mark who had been scammed by the guy apparently saw him and went out for the cops. Two cops came in and took the "Lucky Man" away. I don't know how that particular scenario ended, though...

When I first moved to Phuket I came across the same thing and told him "tell me my date of birth, rather than the 'fact' you want to tell me".

Needless to say, he never came up with my DOB - but as a newbie I gave him 100 bht for his wasted time.

Edited April 2, 2016 by dick dasterdly

[Rob8891]

That sounds just like a gut I had the misfortune to meet....He was always dispensing unsolicited "facts" to anyone unfortunate enough to be within earshot. I'd bet he is lonely and starting to wonder why he has no real friends.

[bangkokjulia]

Sounds a bit like the woman/man neverdie was referring to.

[Robm579]

My step daughter responded to an advert for a job at the local university .... Told to report to reception there either Monday Tuesday or Wednesday ...as they were interviewing over three days.... On arrival there were approx 250 applicants... They were each asked to pay 200bht for the paperwork and test ... Never heard back...

250apps X 200bht X three days...= 150,000 bht

I doubt there was even a job...

[Fookhaht]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/915053-Khon-Kaen%3A-Two-teachers-scammed-us-in-multi-million-baht-con%2C-say-complainants

[Fookhaht]

My step daughter responded to an advert for a job at the local university .... Told to report to reception there either Monday Tuesday or Wednesday ...as they were interviewing over three days.... On arrival there were approx 250 applicants... They were each asked to pay 200bht for the paperwork and test ... Never heard back...

250apps X 200bht X three days...= 150,000 bht

I doubt there was even a job...

Brilliant. I've added this to the agenda for our next teachers' meeting. Will go a long way toward funding that next Phuket seminar. Edited May 5, 2016 by Fookhaht

[Robm579]

It's un-nerving, though I shouldn't be surprised that my other post was removed as it mentioned Vordamort...

[smotherb]

I got caught once with a watch repair. The watch had stopped which i assumed was just a dead battery. I took it to a watch repairer who after a while said the battery is OK but a part has failed in the watch. Only cost 3,000 baht to fix. I was a bit suspicious so took the watch for a second opinion. The "honest" guy there said the watch had been broken deliberately to create the need for a fix. Not much i could do but pay for the repair.

That old scam. You obviously told him you had taken it elsewhere, or he would have just told you the broken part story instead of the intentionally broken part story.

[Jdiddy]

When I first come to live in Thailand, an old hand told ---to be very careful & beware...of farangs.

If anyone was around 10 years or less ago before most of the "Boiler rooms" were closed down......... rows of farangs on phones to other farangs, with 29 carrot guarantees of how to increase your savings. Its still around ---just more sophisticated now. They left people who thought they could retire here in ruins, & resulted in more than a few suicides.

But never mind I will enjoy reading the other posts about how the Thais are just inherently greedy peopleThai and to prove it......................this the Greedy Thai taxi driver at the airport....well...he........etc.....etc.......

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/649317-boiler-room-work/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiler_room_%28business%29

It is unfair for anyone to start generalising about Thais because of taxi drivers. The majority of Thais are about the most helpful people you will meet.

Yeah like jetski operators, taxi drivers just can't help themselveslves, it is part of their business plan and it is in their DNA to try it on. Naughty buggers.

Taxi drivers are not at all racist though, they try it on Thais also.

Best thing to do, is when you get a good one, get his or her number. I have one in Pattaya, one in chonburi and one in Bangkok that I use.

I did taxi driving when i was younger in australia, sometimes you just cant help youself when people pretty much scam themselves

Examples

Guy puts drunk girl in taxi and pre pays to get her home, girl asks how much at end of trip

Person in front gave me $50 for a $30 fare, people in back want to contribute and handed me a $20, i give the 20 to the person in front who wasnt really paying attention and thinks its her change, they all get out and leave

Drunk guy gets in, pays upfront as he wants to do a no meter cashie, kept falling asleep then waking up with amnesia and paying me again. Had exactly the same 5 minute conversation 3 times too, wouldnt accept my "you allready paid me"

Edited June 4, 2016 by Jdiddy

[sead]

Brought some loose diamonds,safires,rubines and smaragds for a value of 1500 euro. The diamond i brought was around 400 euros and i had it in my suitcase. They replaced my diamond. when i wanted to sell it she said it was pure glas haha. So i guess the customs have a stash of all kinds of fake stones in all sizes for fast exchange.

[SoiBiker]

Seems more likely you just bought a fake in the first place.

[smokie36]

I've never noticed any scams here....

[zoza]

I have two favourites one was when my wife bought some insects from a thai and after eating them her face sprouted blisters and looked like she had been burnt

she bumped into the caretaker of our building and he told her to jump on his motorbike as he new a very good skin clinic......she came back with a bottle of white

cream with the number 8 stencilled on it? she did not improve in a week of applying this junk, and had to go to a real clinic to get it cleared up.

no 2 was when my friend and i had to go to Bangkok for our passports and he asked if a farang and his thai wife he knew could "come along for the ride"

when we got there the farang asked how much we were going to pay his wife for her help, I did not throw him out of the car but told him another word

and he would be walking back to pattaya.

These two incidents contain two scams each but that is just typical out here but there are quite a lot of farang con-men in Thailand who could teach

the Thais a lot.

[gemguy]

When I first come to live in Thailand, an old hand told ---to be very careful & beware...of farangs.

If anyone was around 10 years or less ago before most of the "Boiler rooms" were closed down......... rows of farangs on phones to other farangs, with 29 carrot guarantees of how to increase your savings. Its still around ---just more sophisticated now. They left people who thought they could retire here in ruins, & resulted in more than a few suicides.

But never mind I will enjoy reading the other posts about how Thai's are just inherently greedy people and to prove it......................this the Greedy Thai taxi driver at the airport....well...he........etc.....etc.......

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/649317-boiler-room-work/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiler_room_%28business%29

The boiler rooms still exist...and yes just more sophisticated and not operated so openly and blatantly as many have been exposed or caught out and shut down....only to open again in less than a year in another location and another name and using a more technically sophisticated call center system that looks like the call is coming from HK or Singapore ....a seemingly better and more trustworthy location......Right?? ...but operated just down the road somewhere here in Bangkok to the tune of as much as 20 million US before they are run out of town again or relocated.

I still get their phone calls and I just hang up on them, immediately.... after I hear them say, for example: Good day sir, this is Matheson H.K. Gold Financial Services Company, how are you today sir ......and usually recognized as some Filipina woman ..or the likes there of .....

Just Hang Up, Immediately.

Cheers

[gemguy]

I have two favourites one was when my wife bought some insects from a thai and after eating them her face sprouted blisters and looked like she had been burnt

she bumped into the caretaker of our building and he told her to jump on his motorbike as he new a very good skin clinic......she came back with a bottle of white

cream with the number 8 stencilled on it? she did not improve in a week of applying this junk, and had to go to a real clinic to get it cleared up.

no 2 was when my friend and i had to go to Bangkok for our passports and he asked if a farang and his thai wife he knew could "come along for the ride"

when we got there the farang asked how much we were going to pay his wife for her help, I did not throw him out of the car but told him another word

and he would be walking back to pattaya.

These two incidents contain two scams each but that is just typical out here but there are quite a lot of farang con-men in Thailand who could teach

the Thais a lot.

Funny that you mention quite a lot of Farang con men lurking about.

I made a post 3 days ago about this very subject matter related to the Lady Kai scam and after it was posted the Moderators, in all their wisdom, removed the post

In that post I had pointed out, if you want to know about scams, and perpetrated in shocking abundance, then look up the subject matter of fraud perpetrated in the USA

Some government websites have the frauds listed from A to Z and explained in sordid detail while there are dozens of anti fraud related websites, both private or government entities, addressing the issue of widespread and common place scams and frauds being perpetrated upon the unsuspecting American citizens.

How is this relevant to scams perpetrated here in Thailand..? ...Well, many additional scams here in Thailand are perpetrated by US citizens that are on the run and end up in Thailand and then re-invent themselves but carry on perpetrating their scams and or becoming involved in the same or similar scams and forms of fraud that they perfected in the USA..... until they were exposed and ran away...and ended up in Thailand with a load of cash money...and re-start their nefarious ways all over again

So hopefully the moderators, in all their wisdom, will not remove this post ..this time anyhow...lol

So be aware that SOME of the well heeled and seemingly successful foreigners living here in Thailand are not what they seem to be.

Cheers

[flyDelight]

All internet providers are scams.