Man used gay dating app to steal from foreigners

[reader]

These events seem to occur more frequently then some might think.

[Travellerdave]

My experience with the theft of the $100 bill I describe above together with a very small number of other negative experiences represents a tiny % of my interactions with Asian rent boys as a gay visitor to Thailand over the last 20 years. I wonder what the percentage would be for the majority of str sex tourists taking girls to their rooms or those who seek ladyboys. I would guess it would be higher for the latter. I’m sure their will be no official statistics !.

[Guest]

On 4/27/2021 at 12:54 AM, Travellerdave said:

My experience with the theft of the $100 bill I describe above together with a very small number of other negative experiences represents a tiny % of my interactions with Asian rent boys as a gay visitor to Thailand over the last 20 years. I wonder what the percentage would be for the majority of str sex tourists taking girls to their rooms or those who seek ladyboys. I would guess it would be higher for the latter. I’m sure their will be no official statistics !.

Agreed.   

Although your post again demonstrates people are prepared to share their experiences, the rare problems we see tend to be where it has been made easy.  

Other than the newspaper report referring to just one boy, I can't remember other reports of more sophisticated theft from bank accounts by money boys. 

[reader]

7 hours ago, z909 said:

...the rare problems we see tend to be where it has been made easy.  

Of course. It was the victims' fault!

[PeterRS]

One tip which I heard from a friend who has recently located to Thailand and uses the apps quite a lot. He likes the hook ups but really hopes to find a boyfriend.

He chatted last week to a very nice looking 22 yo boy next door type allegedly from Udon who had moved to study in Bangkok. Soon they switched from the app to Line. After they chatted for one evening and then about 2 hours on the next day, the boy asked for money as he needed to pay for his studies at Ramkhamhaeng University and pay rent on his room.  He asked nicely for 5,500 baht. My friend thought the amount not unreasonable but was not prepared to pay it. So he said he would give him 2,000 if they could meet first for coffee. The guy said he had to go home to Udon for 2 weeks and he needed the money before he left. He would happily meet with him on his return. He added he did not speak good English. The photos he posted (naked from just below the waist up and also of family gatherings) seemed genuine. He also sent a photo of his bankbook details page and gave his phone number.

To my friend, all seemed genuine. He ended up sending the guy 4,000 in two installments. Then the boy said he could come back from Udon a couple of days early. Could he stay with my friend? My friend said no since they had still not met, whereupon the Line account was blocked.

When my fried told me this tale and showed me the correspondence, I said the clues should have been his pics - near pure white skin. How many Udon boys are anything but reasonably dark? Then each time money was transferred, he wanted not just the sms message but also a photo of the transmission slip. With some banks (all?) these slips also show the balance left in the account. So had my friend not just thrown them away, the boy would have had a clue as to his financial status and whether it was worth milking him for more. Having a second account with a minimal balance always helps when it comes to in country transfers.

My friend still thinks there is a chance he is genuine. I just told him never to send money to anyone until you have actually met and had a chance to size the guy up.

[10tazione]

 

 

2 hours ago, PeterRS said:

... I said the clues should have been his pics ...

Is it too negative to say the whole story is one big clue? Boy needs money now but can only meet in 14 days??? Foto of transmission slip ???
5500 Baht - isn't it a weird amount? If I would be in need money, I would ask for 5000 or 4000 or 6000, but why 5500? And I would go anywhere to pick up the money.

[PeterRS]

Not too negative at all. I agree with 10tazione. But my friend is quite new to Thailand and he is quite desperate to find a boyfriend. He is slowly learning by experience.

[vinapu]

22 hours ago, 10tazione said:

 

 

5500 Baht - isn't it a weird amount? If I would be in need money, I would ask for 5000 or 4000 or 6000, but why 5500? 

because 5500 sounds more genuine.  The same logic applies to punctuality. You invite somebdy for 6 , chance are he will be late 10-15 minutes, ask to arrive at 5.45 and  he will be there on the dot

[Guest]

On 4/30/2021 at 3:51 AM, PeterRS said:

 Then each time money was transferred, he wanted not just the sms message but also a photo of the transmission slip. With some banks (all?) these slips also show the balance left in the account. So had my friend not just thrown them away, the boy would have had a clue as to his financial status and whether it was worth milking him for more. Having a second account with a minimal balance always helps when it comes to in country transfers.

My friend still thinks there is a chance he is genuine. I just told him never to send money to anyone until you have actually met and had a chance to size the guy up.

I wouldn't entertain the idea of sending money to anyone I hadn't met.

I also don't see the point of sending them any proof of transmission, as the money arrives almost instantly. Sounds like the recipient is an experienced operator.

 

Out of all the boys I know, just one asked for money to be sent for food in the last year.   I sent a donation just the once and next day his Instagram was showing him out clubbing.  Money requests are always for food or rent, never for going out drinking, botox injections or anything else we might consider as lower priority.    Last time I met him, he could remember the exchange rate for several foreign currencies off the top of his head, as he's been receiving money from various overseas donors.    

The one guy makes continual requests.  Meanwhile, faced with the same economic conditions, everyone else I know does not ask. 

 

[reader]

I would not be shocked if I learned that a young Thai man used some of the cash I sent him to have fun. Unlike many westerners, who primarily concern themselves with how many assets they have gathered right up until they draw their last breath, Thai culture has always been more concerned with fun in the moment. And it's not fun unless it's in a social context. Thais don't care to enjoy themselves alone--if that's even possible--and more they like to eat alone.

In fact, I'd be glad he got some joy from my gift. Many, if not most, of the guys we meet know poverty from childhood. They come to BKK or Pattaya to escape it and send some of their earnings back home in the time honored tradition. But they're also young and place a high priority of celebrating their youth with their buddies. And as we are constantly reminded, you're only young once.

Those guys from Thailand (or any of the other SE Asian nations whose sons gravitate to Thailand) who ask us for something aren't robbing us like the man in the OP who used coercion in one form or another. They're just taking a chance and asking. If we choose to demand a litmus test, it becomes a transaction instead of a gift.

No, I'm not advocating sending off cash on a whim to someone I've never met. But I am talking about young men we have come to know; those who made our lives more bearable because they didn't reject us out of hand as many in our own country would.

If there was ever a time in our world we might see our way free to return the favor, this very well might be that time.