Share your scam stories here.

[Guest]

For example he has warned me about a certain "cellphone scam", which is similar to the "jet ski scam" in Pattaya. He said certain “evil Thai boys” will bring with them an already broken phone to an off. At some point during the off, said Thai boy will put his cellphone near the edge of the bed, hoping that the customer will knock it off the bed. Since the cellphone is already broken, it will shatter or break when it hits the ground. Guilty customer will of course offer to replace said phone, thus completing the scam. He has a number of stories like this, to my delight and horror.

After reading this post I thought it might be an idea to share our scam stories here, so people can recognise & avoid them.

 

Before my first ever trip to SE Asia, I read a few scam stories. There was even an excellent site called Scambodia, or something like that.

 

Then, in all the years I've been coming here, I've suffered almost no scams.  

So I think the risk is very low. 

However, it still makes sense to know the tricks so we can recognise them.

 

Here is my list of scams & thefts:

 

Boys

•    No scams.  
•    One theft.  A bottle of whiskey stolen from the mini bar in Bangkok.

 

Scams Declined:

• I've had tuk tuk drivers tell me various attractions are closed & offer to take me on a tour (of various shops).  Having read about that, it was easily avoided.
• People offering to assist with visa applications on the Cambodia border.

 

Other

• I have been overcharged for buses in Vietnam, but that is difficult to avoid, when not knowing what the correct charge is.  Even with the overcharging, the price seemed reasonable.
• I had a probable theft of cash from a hotel safe in Cambodia. I would name & shame, but as not 100% sure, it just has to be listed as a highly probable.

[firecat69]

They are such a tiny part of my experience in Thailand, I choose not to share them.  My overall experiences are so positive that I don't believe it adds anything to talk about them. 

 

Believe me I have talked about it in other countries on different travel sites because even with prior warning I have been scammed .

[bucknaway]

I'll share when I get home. I hate posting from NY phone and it's error correction that seems to screw up my posts.

[firecat69]

This is what I posted in Numazu's thread.

 

People who search for and worry about scams are much more unlikely to enjoy their travel experience. 

 

There needs to be a balance between supposed scams and the inmate honesty of most Thai people. 

 

I have encountered one thief in hundreds of visits and 2 1/2 years of residence.  Balance that against multiple times maids in Hotels returned small amounts of money left in my shorts turned in to be laundered.

[Londoner]

Twenty years, sixty plus trips and, so far, no scams. I did have my passport stolen  on my way to Bangkok....but that was at Heathrow Airport.

 

I've found Thais very honest. I dropped a wallet in Blue Star Go Go (where Dreamboys is now in Soi Twilight) and one of the dancers ran along the soi to hand it back to me.

[Guest]

People who search for and worry about scams are much more unlikely to enjoy their travel experience. 

 

There needs to be a balance between supposed scams and the inmate honesty of most Thai people.

I agree completely. Thais are very well behaved.  

I have, as listed above, had next to no trouble in Thailand, which is more than I can say for Europe.

 

Whilst scams are rare, it's still good to know them & how to avoid them, without ever worrying about it.

So I still think it's worth sharing them.

[ChristianPFC]

Negligible compared to the positive experiences, nonetheless worth sharing:

 

On my first trip to Thailand I played along the "Royal Palace is closed scam". At the last temple stop, the driver just abandoned me: he was gone when I came back to the parking places.

 

Occasional offers for fixed fare by taxi drivers, usually twice of what it would cost by meter.

 

Three confirmed thefts by boys, two more unconfirmed. Out of a total of estimated 200 encounters.

 

One boy wanted to borrow 10,000 THB and brought a mobile phone as pawn. Actually have to consider all "borrow money" as scam as they are either not willing or not able to return the money. Over the years, about 2000 Baht loss this way. Nowadays, I consider all lent money as a gift.

 

On tuk-tuk from Nong Khai railway station to border, driver asked if we want visa and as there was no recline of his offer (we were about 4), he turned to roadside "visa office". From having been to Lao before, I recognized this as a scam and told him to continue to border, which he did.

 

Not really a scam, but half a year ago I forgot my bag with stuff in a taxi (actually a friend left it in the taxi, he is to blame), realized shortly afterwards, called their hotline and gave all details. Didn't get the bag back. Resale value maybe 50 Baht, replacement value about 500 Baht, some stuff of emotional value.

 

Scams in other countries:

 

In Bali I fell for the money exchange scam and lost the equivalent of 30 Euro when exchanging 100 Euro.

 

Bus station a few km out of town in Siem Reap and in Bali with taxi and tuk tuk drivers descending onto passengers.

[firecat69]

On offer of fixed fares by taxi drivers , I hardly consider that a scam.  He tells you the price and it is up to you whether you accept it.  If he failed to turn the meter on and you don't notice it and then at your destination tells you the price that would be a scam.

 

This mostly happens on Silom near Patpong and Surawong near Soi Twilight and the taxis are parked . Just wait for a moving taxi and in most cases he will turn on the meter.

 

The best chance for them to get their price is when it is raining and no taxis are available and you don't want to get wet.  In this case I have paid the set price many times .  Most of the times it would be a 60 baht fare turned into 100 baht. I just could care less in the rain.  

 

I figure it balances out when many times I have got caught in a traffic jam . I am sitting in a nice air conditioned taxi and the meter barely moves and the driver is making nothing for his time and fuel.

[jfarmer017]

It seems like taxi drivers not wanting to use the meter happened a lot more frequently 10 years ago than it does now. Back when I did the whole Soi Twilight scene regularly, I used to always walk down to the corner of Suriwong, cross over Rama IV road, and get one of the numerous taxis parked on the street. Never had any hassle over the meter. 

[bucknaway]

These are some of the Scams I experienced.

 

Patpong.  I entered a 2nd floor bar after being told my drink would cost 200 Baht.  When I sat down I ordered my drink and watched the nude ladyboy walk on the raised counter-top that could have been a bar.  My beer came and I gave the money for the drink.  The lady came back and I found my change was in coins and the coins were glued to the plate!  When I tried to pry them up, she yelped in surprise and ran away with the tray.

 

A lady came up and put a bill in my cup.  I told her I paid for the drink and she said it was for the show.  I left it there and soon they were stuffing another bill in my cup.  I decided it was time to go so counted the total and put the cash in the cup and handed it to the passing waitress and made my way out.  Guys at the door were blocking my exit and I turned to see a waitress waiving another receipt for me.  I puffed out my chest and stood tall as I pushed my way out the door.  I heard them talking but all I could understand was one of them saying Army! Army!.   

 

For some reason people in Thailand think I am either in the Army or on the Police force.

 

Silom.  I stopped at a guy selling magic items.  It was my last night in Thailand and I thought the rings and the hidden dice trick would be a good gift for my nephews.  The guy demonstrated the tricks and just through our chitchat I told him it was a gift for my nephews.  He gushed that I had a good heart and said he would wrap them up nicely for me.

 

When I got home and unwrapped them, you guessed it.  Empty boxes.

 

DJ Station.  One incident with a guy trying to pick my pocket.

Another incident.  Met a guy at DJ.  We went to my condo and he stole My old laptop I only use for travel to Thailand and a pair of my new Nike's.

 

Pattaya:  Baht bus demanding 200 baht for the same ride that other Thai passengers paid 10 baht.  Often when their is a lady sitting next to the baht bus driver, they often try to keep my change.  When I don't pull my open hand back, the driver will often indicate to them to give me my change.

 

Met a guy on romeo.  Spend many days with him.  Once I let my guard down, he stole around 6000 baht out of my wallet.  It may have been more.  I would have to look at my post on sawatdee network to get the exact amount.

 

Phuket.  Was in boat bar when a woman tried to pick my pocket.  It got so bad that when I went outside, she seemed to follow me and tried to pick my pocket again.  I had to tell her.  "Please stop trying to pick my pocket!"

 

Airport.  Once I got in a taxi that had a rigged meter.  The other scams came when the driver didn't want to turn on the meter and lied saying no meter for airport taxi, or holiday, no meter today.

 

I know I have run into more scams than this.  Some were too insignificant to mention and others have slipped my mind......

[firecat69]

All I can say is you are a very unlucky person.  Interesting to note no problem in Gay Boy Bars . Not sure what that says.

[bucknaway]

All I can say is you are a very unlucky person.  Interesting to note no problem in Gay Boy Bars . Not sure what that says.

It's possible, but life goes on.  I was waiting to see what you would post.  I think you are going to have a comment on every post but I don't think you will offer any scam experiences for others to be aware of.

[paulsf]

I've never had any issues with scams, other than the taxi driver that doesn't want to use a meter. I don't look at that as a scam. More of a way of life in Thailand. Most of the scams mentioned seem more of an issue of just not being aware of what's going on around you.

[firecat69]

It's possible, but life goes on.  I was waiting to see what you would post.  I think you are going to have a comment on every post but I don't think you will offer any scam experiences for others to be aware of.

I have acknowledged Taxis trying to charge flat rate. I don't consider that a scam . They are upfront and i can take the offer or look for another taxi. I don't go to LadyBoy Bars or Lady Bars so apparently they like to scam you. Pretty sure 99% of the members here don't care because they don't go to Lady Bars.  I have also acknowledged  I had 1 boy steal from me. Big Deal . Hundreds possibly thousands of boys and I have had 1 boy steal from me. Not important.

 

I have probably had hundreds of times more experience with the Gay side of Thailand then you and lived in BKK for 2 1/2 years .

 

I have been scammed more in 1 trip in Prague, Budapest etc then hundred times more time spent in Thailand.

 

Maybe you drink too much and don't understand what to look for when you travel to Thailand.

 

Plus I don't see any hordes of members rushing to list all the scams they have experienced.  

 

That should probably tell you something!

[bucknaway]

I have acknowledged Taxis trying to charge flat rate. I don't consider that a scam . They are upfront and i can take the offer or look for another taxi. I don't go to LadyBoy Bars or Lady Bars so apparently they like to scam you. Pretty sure 99% of the members here don't care because they don't go to Lady Bars.  I have also acknowledged  I had 1 boy steal from me. Big Deal . Hundreds possibly thousands of boys and I have had 1 boy steal from me. Not important.

 

I have probably had hundreds of times more experience with the Gay side of Thailand then you and lived in BKK for 2 1/2 years .

 

I have been scammed more in 1 trip in Prague, Budapest etc then hundred times more time spent in Thailand.

 

Maybe you drink too much and don't understand what to look for when you travel to Thailand.

 

I'm not trying to get into a argument and I am not going to reply to your innuendo.  It seems like you have something to prove in this thread and I am not going to guess or insinuate what I think it may be.  I only hope that we can avoid personal attacks, it's just a message board where we share thoughts related to Thailand.

 

This thread isn't about me or you.  It's about scams in Thailand. 

[jfarmer017]

Hate to pile on here, but to my knowledge I've never been "scammed" in my 10 years of living between the US and Thailand. In fact, oftentimes when I read stories about scams involving Thai guys, I feel like I'm peaking into a world I am totally unfamiliar with. Now it's entirely possible that this has just been pure luck. But I also can't help but feel that so long as you keep your head on straight and exercise some common sense, you will generally be in a good position.

[Gaybutton]

Some people no longer take LOS to mean Land of Smiles.  For many, now LOS means Land of Scams.

 

There are so many scams in Thailand that it would take me at least a two or three days to post just the ones I'm aware of.  One of my favorite scams is getting people to invest in a condo that has yet to be built.  Then construction is never even started and the owner disappears with all the money.

[jfarmer017]

Some people no longer take LOS to mean Land of Smiles.  For many, now LOS means Land of Scams.

 

There are so many scams in Thailand that it would take me at least a two or three days to post just the ones I'm aware of.  One of my favorite scams is getting people to invest in a condo that has yet to be built.  Then construction is never even started and the owner disappears with all the money.

 

But are "your scam stories" really a request for scams you're "aware of?" Obviously fraud is present and prevalent everywhere on the globe. It's part of the human condition. But not everyone is uniformly scammed. Doesn't individual naivete and, yes sorry, even stupidity play some role in it? When I was growing up, the used car salesman was pretty much the living embodiment of the fast-talking bullshit artist. But then you realize...well, obviously these techniques work or they'd stop using them. I've never been sold a lemon, but I know people who have. Is luck really the only difference there or are some people, for a variety of factors, more open to being scammed than others? For what it's worth, I'm also a hugely skeptical person (of everything from religion and ghosts to space aliens and alternative medicine). Perhaps a more closed, skeptical disposition is protective against scams compared to a more open, trusting one.

 

I have no answer to any of these questions, by the way. Just putting it out there as food for thought.

[firecat69]

I'm not trying to get into a argument and I am not going to reply to your innuendo.  It seems like you have something to prove in this thread and I am not going to guess or insinuate what I think it may be.  I only hope that we can avoid personal attacks, it's just a message board where we share thoughts related to Thailand.

 

This thread isn't about me or you.  It's about scams in Thailand. 

I'm really not sure what you have a problem with. The reason this Board exists is for discussion of various topics. This thread is about scams and despite GB 's real estate scams I don't see many members having any personal problems with scams. Many of the posters have spent many hundreds or thousands of days in Thailand and Taxis trying to charge a flat rate seems to be the  only supposed scam mentioned by more then 1 member.

 

All and all just seems that most people are happy with the lack of scams rather then being worried about scams they have had done to them.

[bucknaway]

Some people no longer take LOS to mean Land of Smiles.  For many, now LOS means Land of Scams.

 

There are so many scams in Thailand that it would take me at least a two or three days to post just the ones I'm aware of.  One of my favorite scams is getting people to invest in a condo that has yet to be built.  Then construction is never even started and the owner disappears with all the money.

 

The other scam that seems to be reported often is boy meets girl, boy gets drugged by girl, girl steals from boy.  Police look for girl who turns out to be a boy.....

 

This one may not be a scam but when I was in pattaya riding on a baht bus, I remember seeing cars for rent and the sign touted they can be insured!  Then I pass another one that said they rent cars with PROPER insurance!

 

And cheating in bars?  I love that Dreamboys announces that they will not cheat you!

[firecat69]

Since I am not really experienced in boy meets girl in Thailand I can only surmise this happens from people stupid enough to pick someone off the street or beach late at night.  I doubt it would happen in 99% of the cases on Boy meets girl from Soi Nana.  Those Bars do not need those kind of things to happen because the word would spread and they would be out of business.

 

I am still waiting for all the scams that Gay members have had foisted on them.  

[Gaybutton]

But are "your scam stories" really a request for scams you're "aware of?"

 

I have no answer to any of these questions, by the way. Just putting it out there as food for thought.

 

It would be a little difficult for me to post about scams I'm not aware of . . .

 

I can't answer your questions any better than you can, although I don't see the fast talking used car salesman as an example of a scam.  If you're sold a car that wasn't theirs to sell in the first place, that would be a scam.  If you want to see perfect examples of scams, all you need to do is watch "Judge Judy."

 

I really don't want to get into the finer points of what does or does not constitute a scam.  I see this topic as really meaning to be stories about incidents that unexpectedly removed cash from us rather than having to fit in with a precise definition of the word 'scam.'  Many of us are going to disagree anyway about what is or is not a scam

 

For example, at Christmas and New Year many Thailand hotels serve mandatory holiday buffet dinners that their guests will be charged for whether they want the dinner or not.  Quite often the guest was never told in advance about the mandatory buffets.  Even guests who become ill and can't even eat are going to be charged.  Is that a scam?  I can't say whether that fits the definition of a scam or not, but I'll bet some people reading this topic found out the hard way about those buffets.  I'd like see those kinds of stories posted rather than worrying about whether they're actually within the definition of a scam.

 

I agree with firecat69.  The Thais themselves are the scam victims far more often than farang.  Then again, there are a far more Thais in Thailand than there are farang.

[firecat69]

I have had occasion to make a reservation during Xmas and New Years and at least in my cases it was spelled out quite clearly about the mandatory buffet.  

 

I have failed in the past to read a reservation carefully about cancellation requirements and have lost some money.  My fault and once was enough, I now read and save the confirmation.  If it is not in the confirmation , the Hotel is out of luck trying to charge me anything.   

 

Although rare in Thailand, I have had a Hotel try to charge me for a guest . I just show them the reservation for 2 people and remind them it is none of their business who the other person is and all they can ask is the person registers.  By the 3rd night of them registering a different person they cease to bother.

[paulsf]

In my many years in the bars in Bangkok, I've never been cheated. What is it you've had problems with?

[Alexx]

In 12 years (two years visiting and 10 years living in Thailand), I have no scam and a single likely theft to report. There have been a few attempted scams, all of them harmless and easy enough to catch.

 

The likely theft was 1000 baht gone missing from my wallet when I spent the night with two Thai guys in the room of one of them after we had partied together. While theft by one of them is by far the most likely scenario, I didn't have proof and didn't make a fuss.

 

Attempted scams were mostly pleas for money for bogus reasons. They don't fly with me: If someone asks me for money for medical bills, I ask for the bills to pay them directly, if and when I feel inclined to help. Same with tuition, no university papers, not a single baht from me...