Liberians caught in Sukhumvit with fake US dollars

[Americano555]

I know there are all kinds of people here, but why do they let these people in? Then blame a Thai that is involved? You see these Afrikans always walking around with a bag? Yes a bag. The RTP must be making a killing.

[smacks41]

The ingenuity of these scammers is amazing. A librarian is the last person I would expect to be passing phony bills.

Try Liberia, a country in West Africa, capital Monrovia.

Good lord, try humour.

If that is your attempt at humour, can I ask from what part of America you are from ?

What makes you think he's from America? How many Americans do you know that spell "humor" as the Commonwealth way, "humour?"

Edited May 27, 2016 by smacks41

[Sooo Upto Me]

And these rocket surgeons (humor intended) are not going small. The sixty bills average $3,000 per bill. The clowns receiving the bills deserve their losses as well.

The 60 bills were $100 dollar bills totaling 200,000 baht.$6000 = 210,000 at 35 to 1..But it's the TV editors and reporters and not the math here

Oh c'mon, Ru bored this morning? Don't worry the Fanny Craddick Bar should be open now. ??

[ballpoint]

These Liberians will soon be Prisonerians.

[thaiduncankk]

These Liberians will soon be Prisonerians.

Or Bangkok Hiltonions.

[thaiduncankk]

The ingenuity of these scammers is amazing. A librarian is the last person I would expect to be passing phony bills.

Try Liberia, a country in West Africa, capital Monrovia.

Good lord, try humour.

If that is your attempt at humour, can I ask from what part of America you are from ?

What makes you think he's from America? How many Americans do you know that spell "humor" as the Commonwealth way, "humour?"

In answer to your first question, because they are not known for having a great sense of humour. As for your second question, the ones that are properly educated.

[Lancashireman]

I thought librarians were people that looked after books....and generally nice people.

This is a shock to me that librarians would do the old dirty money that can be cleaned trick.....

Yes, librarians do do something with books.

These Liberians, however, might get jobs in the prison library...

So all is not lost, eh!

[Rough Rider]

The ingenuity of these scammers is amazing. A librarian is the last person I would expect to be passing phony bills.

Are you sure about your quote? Liberia is Africa's oldest republic You can never trust an West African. Liberia means "Land of the Free" in Latin. So they expect everything for free.

[nikmar]

These Liberians will soon be Prisonerians.

Or Bangkok Hiltonions.

They could work in the library and be Liberian Bangkok Hiltonian librarians.

[paddyjoe41]

Liberia has been greatly involved with GB for many years,they have been partners in the bong mining co for maybe 50 years,so it would not surprise me if that had a connection to someone in regular transit between the two countries.it is not the only company attached to the uk from Liberia.I expect we will never find out what the real connection is for the fake notes.One things sure they came to the right country if they were looking for competion in scamming.

[johnnynmonic]

The ingenuity of these scammers is amazing. A librarian is the last person I would expect to be passing phony bills.

Try Liberia, a country in West Africa, capital Monrovia.

Is that where librarians come from?

[Berkshire]

"...sell to gullible people for between 100 - 500,000 baht a time. Many people fell for the ruse."

The old saw "You can't cheat an honest man" comes to mind. Or at least a bit more difficult to cheat an honest man

Yeap, one would have to be both greedy and stupid to fall for such a scam. This particular scam is pretty old. Maybe it's time to recycle some other oldies but goodies.

[johnnynmonic]

The ingenuity of these scammers is amazing. A librarian is the last person I would expect to be passing phony bills.

Why?

I mean, I wouldn't even question the little old grey-haired, bespectacled librarian in my hometown. No one with a chain that long on their eye-glasses could be bad. "Do I have change for a $100? Sure, here's six twenties."

[ballpoint]

These Liberians will soon be Prisonerians.

Or Bangkok Hiltonions.

They could work in the library and be Liberian Bangkok Hiltonian librarians.

Now you're taking liberties.

[elgordo38]

The ingenuity of these scammers is amazing. A librarian is the last person I would expect to be passing phony bills.

Try Liberia, a country in West Africa, capital Monrovia.

Good lord, try humour.

Not much humor here with all the back biting comments. Being on TV some days is like sitting on the edge of a shark tank. So many experts on everything very little humor. Edited May 27, 2016 by elgordo38

[JAG]

The old black money scam is alive and well I see

Odd, the fellow in the photo doesn't look black

Maybe he had been overexposed to that special liquid?

☺

[nikmar]

These Liberians will soon be Prisonerians.

Or Bangkok Hiltonions.

They could work in the library and be Liberian Bangkok Hiltonian librarians.

Now you're taking liberties.

Im actually a Libra taking liberties.

[Chalard]

I thought librarians were people that looked after books....and generally nice people.

This is a shock to me that librarians would do the old dirty money that can be cleaned trick.....

Were your eyes only half open when you posted so early this morning..???

If not, you better go to Specsavers so you can recognise the word Liberia. Lol

Edited May 27, 2016 by Chalard

[IMA_FARANG]

Not that I really care but Liberia is a country in western Africa as has been stated previously and was given it's start by blaxks from the U.S.. mainly originally freed xlaves and the "return to Africa" movement....in which many blacks were encouraged to return to africa and found a country there for U.S. free blacks.

[ThailandLOS]

I am surprised that the Police making a fuss about a trade that is rampant in soi 5 and right outside 7/11 behind Grace Hotel.Many times I was approached by African guys offering USD at 10% of their real value.

10% of their real value is zero, so is 100% of their real value.

Can't comprehend how anyone can even think of buying anything what so ever from africans lurking around Nana.

[HerbalEd]

And these rocket surgeons (humor intended) are not going small. The sixty bills average $3,000 per bill. The clowns receiving the bills deserve their losses as well.

Intended but not achieved.

[ballpoint]

They could work in the library and be Liberian Bangkok Hiltonian librarians.

Now you're taking liberties.

Im actually a Libra taking liberties.

I don't mind, I'm quite liberal.

[BugNumpty]

What I believe these Liberians were doing is not quite what the article describes but actually something known as the "black money scam" or "Wash Wash". It seems though that the suitcases filled with all the fake black pieces of construction paper cut into shapes of dollar bills was not recovered in the arrest or at least was not mentioned in the article. The Liberians normally only have a few real US $100 bank notes in their possession which are covered with the easily removable water soluble black ink that is used to bait their victims with. Read more here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_money_scam

It is perhaps the oldest of the West African advance fee fraud scams and has been around long before the internet and before all the West African advance fee fraud scams moved onto the cyberspace platform.

Street scams like Wash Wash are rather outdated at this point, but it seems there is still enough fools who fall for it in places like India, Malaysia, Thailand, and parts of the middle east where they still try and run this scam on a regular basis.

An acquaintance of mine was in fact taken by this same scam nearly 20 years ago in Bangkok by some Liberians and this ancient scam is what most of the Liberians in Thailand are involved with. So this antiquated modality that they use to scam people with is certainly nothing new to the streets around the Sukhumvit area.

The fact that the scam is still taking place even today in the same area, nearly 20 years after someone I knew fell for this same scam, shows that the authorities don't seem to be effective enough in preventing it from happening.

The best thing would be for people to become more aware of the Liberian street scams on their own which would then put a stop to it all instead having to reply upon the ineffectiveness of the authorities to do something about it.

[Winniedapu]

I thought librarians were people that looked after books....and generally nice people.

This is a shock to me that librarians would do the old dirty money that can be cleaned trick.....

No no. These are Liberians from Liberia.

Librarians are from Libraria.

Easy mistake to make.

W

Edited May 27, 2016 by Winniedapu

[Siamwhiteelephant]

I thought librarians were people that looked after books....and generally nice people.

This is a shock to me that librarians would do the old dirty money that can be cleaned trick.....

Simply a case of lost in translation. These, by some laundered money accounts, may be laundrarians who were booked. In any case, they need to be accountable, come clean, lose their liberty, and be liable for libels.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Siamwhiteelephant

[OscarTheTurtle]

Getting desperate these days. The tricks of the past just don't work.

[Don Herman]

Everyday for thief man one day for master see u next 10 years

[MrJohnson]

A sweep through that particular part of Bangkok would yield some big fish - if only anyone could be bothered to do it.

[dabhand]

ayou learn very quickly

The old black money scam is alive and well I see

Odd, the fellow in the photo doesn't look black

Well, I worked in Liberia for a year or so around 1979/80 so, depending on his age.............

Plenty of memories from my time there and, yes, you needed to keep your wits about you but an excellent education in life experiences. Especially during the coup of April 1980 - an army takeover but, unlike Thailand, having a terminal impact for a number of ex-government ministers. Show trials then summary judgment via executions on the beach. Ahh, those were the days.

[Gracas]

Just what we need more of, Liberians dealing in David Copperfield money.