Pattaya Police hunt for Middle-Eastern Foreign Exchange Cheat

PATTAYA: In the early hours of Friday, the 33-year-old owner of a Foreign Exchange Booth, located in South Pattaya reported being scammed out of 100,000 Baht by a middle-eastern man during a transaction whereby Euro’s was converted to Thai Baht.

Khun Somport reported the incident at Pattaya Police Station and also provided CCTV evidence of the transaction which clearly showed the man’s face.

The incident began when the middle-eastern man approached the booth and asked to change 10,000 Euro’s to Thai Baht. Khun Somport checked the money and only counted 9,900 Euro’s and returned the money to the suspect who repeatedly counted the money and confirmed the shortfall and stated he would add 100 Euro’s to make it up to 10,000.

By this point a large queue was forming and Khun Sompoort was keen to complete the transaction quickly. The Euro’s was returned to him and he exchanged it for the Thai Baht, crucially without re-checking the amount.

Full story: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221625/pattaya-police-hunt-for-middle-eastern-foreign-exchange-cheat/

-- Pattaya One 2016-01-20

wow, the booth guy picked the wrong job... not able to count under pressure

I consider my self as a switched on guy and too, was scammed in similar circumstances

in the Philippines though not with such large amount, some time the odd one just slips by...

So where's the CCTV footage showing the man removing 2k plus from the 9,900, and isn't the said Khun Sompoort supposed to be watching him, and recount the money no matter what?

In the photo there was no one behind him in the queue, so what the probability that the people who joined the queue behind him were also part of the scamming team ?

A common trick I was taken in by but this time it was the 'teller' who was a crook.

In Bali actually, an accomplice came in and did the distraction thing.

Must be a unique money exchange. All the ones I have ever used check and re-check several times before handing over the money.

Sounds like BS to me....A Thai money changer being scammed.....LOL.....

TIT.

This "Australian deal" is a very old and, evidently, still effective scam. (Sorry Aussie mates, but that's what it's called because when the scammer is recounting the money he pulls off bills from the bottom of the stack (i.e., down under).

I had the same tried on me in Colombia years ago. The scam artist offered me a very favorable ... way too favorable ... exchange rate on Colombian pesos for my US dollars.

So when I counted the stack of pesos and found it a bit short, I simply said ... "Yes, that's good" and walked away. Well they almost s--t and immediately became very hostile and demanded their money back. As I was in danger I told them to give my dollars back and then I gave them their pesos.

It was fun to see their faces when I took their money (albeit a very short time) and I still get a smile whenever I remember the incident.

Must be a unique money exchange. All the ones I have ever used check and re-check several times before handing over the money.

This money changing will probably be doing that as well in the future

So where's the CCTV footage showing the man removing 2k plus from the 9,900, and isn't the said Khun Sompoort supposed to be watching him, and recount the money no matter what?

All the money changers I've used the last thing they do is use there counting machine.

Just saying

Nearly 400k baht that's a lot of cash to be wandering around with late at night!!

So where's the CCTV footage showing the man removing 2k plus from the 9,900, and isn't the said Khun Sompoort supposed to be watching him, and recount the money no matter what?

All the money changers I've used the last thing they do is use there counting machine.

Just saying

Maybe this money changer didnt use a counting machine and that is why he was targeted ?

In the photo there was no one behind him in the queue, so what the probability that the people who joined the queue behind him were also part of the scamming team ?

Read the report and look at all pictures.

And at least the queue was "mixed ethinic", so not too likely that it was arranged.

That "middle eastern" is a real pro if he manages to cheat a professional (?) money changer.

I like this:

Police will now attempt to locate and arrest the suspect and warned Khun Somport to be more careful in the future when it comes to changing money at his Booth.

It smells.

...I shudder at the thought of going to one of these booths...

...time and again....

...without a shred of evidence....

...and the prejudice MUST be against the foreigner....

...their word against yours....

...in other cases there were 2 in the booth.....suddenly your money is counterfeit....!!!

...no way out...they said so...case closed...

Thought you had to show your passport these days to change money? must admit a while since i used a booth

it was the booth assistants fault in my view, he couldnt do his job. .......... end of

Another one is when youre in a country where you benefit more for changing in the black market than in banks. They just shout Police and everyone runs away. Unfortunately with your money too

Thought you had to show your passport these days to change money? must admit a while since i used a booth

My thought too.

Some booths explicitly show that on the window.

But also not used one since ?? years.

If I would walk into a provincial bank with 10'000 Euro in cash half of the staff would assist.

Each note's serial number would be written down.

Passport copies done, to be signed etc.pp.

Really!

I consider my self as a switched on guy and too, was scammed in similar circumstances

in the Philippines though not with such large amount, some time the odd one just slips by...

Reminds me of the time I was scammed in Manila some 30 years back. There was a black market rate for US$'s and I did a deal for a few hundred $'s. Foolishly, this was at an outside café and the lady doing the exchange spooked me into taking the money quickly just after she had 'counted' it. No time for me to double check as she claimed there was a copper headed our way. Checked later and I was short by about 25% of what I expected. Anyway, lesson learned by me and am always careful to check on exchanges - as should have happened here.

I consider my self as a switched on guy and too, was scammed in similar circumstances

in the Philippines though not with such large amount, some time the odd one just slips by...

"I consider my self as a switched on guy..."

Eh? Don't flatter yourself.

I had the same tried on me in Colombia years ago. The scam artist offered me a very favorable ... way too favorable ... exchange rate on Colombian pesos for my US dollars.

So when I counted the stack of pesos and found it a bit short, I simply said ... "Yes, that's good" and walked away. Well they almost s--t and immediately became very hostile and demanded their money back. As I was in danger I told them to give my dollars back and then I gave them their pesos.

I am very confused. They shorted you on pesos, and you accepted it. That seems like precisely the result they wanted. Why would they be upset that you accepted being cheated? Is it because, even with the short amount, with the favorable exchange rate, it was still more than the normal exchange rate?

Happeend to me in Bulgharia as it was still a communist state.I was on a holiday in the beautiful Black Sea resort of Varna.The oficial exchange rate was $1 to BGL 5.A gypsy guy approached me in the main square where tourists usually gather(do not remember the name of the place)and asked in a funy broken English if I needed anything. when I asked him to define"anything",he said:Hash,girls,money exchange.I do not do drugs and had no interest in prostitutes,but I asked how much his excange rate was,he said:$1 to BGL 7 for the first $300 and 10 for larger amounts.He saw a well justified suspicion look in my eyes,so he said:no afraid,you take the Leva,check,count and then give the $,You afraid me,but me no afraid you!!! .I told him how much I wanted to change,he gave me the Levas,I counted,it was only 10 Levas short.I said it is 10 short.He pretended to be surprised,took the money agian,re-counted it,in front of my eyes.I watched closely as he counted and then he said:very sorry,you correct. he gave me the money back and handed over a ten Leva note separately to me.I gave him the $s and he walked away calmly.in no hurry.Later,in the hotel,I found out that the bugger took away some notes as he was re-counting.I repeat,it all happened right under my nose and I was watching closely,or so I thought.

Thought you had to show your passport these days to change money? must admit a while since i used a booth

You are correct, or a copy is sometimes required. You would think more so for large amounts like this which is not really normal.

When did the Euro:THB FX rate reach 1:1,000? And Euros is a plural; there is no apostrophe between the o and the s.

Thought you had to show your passport these days to change money? must admit a while since i used a booth

You are correct, or a copy is sometimes required. You would think more so for large amounts like this which is not really normal.

Passport was required to officially change in the bank.I was obviously talking about a back market ex-change in the street.

And Euros is a plural; there is no apostrophe between the o and the s.

Apparently these Euro's aren't plural - the original article states that "The Euro's was returned to him", which was then exchanged for "the Thai Baht". Obviously singular.

On a different note - I'm not surprised a large queue was forming; an exchange booth that gives you too many Baht for your money and requires no ID in the process - who wouldn't be queuing?

Doesn't quite pass the smell test, I'm afraid.

Thought you had to show your passport these days to change money? must admit a while since i used a booth

You are correct, or a copy is sometimes required. You would think more so for large amounts like this which is not really normal.

Passport was required to officially change in the bank.I was obviously talking about a back market ex-change in the street.

I am considering the average exchange kiosks all over the place, which in Pattaya have been asking for ID or copy of it for cash exchanges.

Ayrabs being dodgy................no wayyyyy.....