Dilemma - am I being scammed? - Lonely Planet travel forum

Dilemma - am I being scammed?

Replies: 50 - Last Post: 13-Jul-2009 22:07 Last Post By: webme

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cmelikian

08-Dec-2003 23:51
Posts: 3

Dilemma - am I being scammed?

Hi,

I'm a naturally cautious traveller and although I want to meet locals and spend time with them I'm wary of scams.

My dilemma....

I met a tuk-tuk driver who I recognised in the MBK shopping centre(in Bangkok) today. He's usually at the end of my road (Sukhumvit Soi 11). He was with his sister and a friend and very kindly offered to buy me lunch, saying he recognised me and it would be great to know each other. (For me, alarm bells are ringing). He takes me and the 2 women to a Thai restaurant v close to where we are and we sit down and chat. He mentions he has another sister who is going to England to become a nurse and is leaving 22nd Dec. His mother is apparently worried about her going to England and his sister would love to know a bit more about London. He offers to take me to his home and meet his mother and sister. By this time huge alarm bells are ringing. My friend got caught in the gambling scam about a year ago. I basically thanked him for the offer but said I was meeting someone in an hour but couldn't make it. I then said I was free day after tomorrow and he said that was fine and gave me his phone number and I gave him my e-mail address.

What did it for me was that he said it was his sister's birthday on Thursday which is miraculously the day I will be seeing her. Also he let me speak to the sister on the phone and although it was a bad line I swore she said her name was Sheeba/Shiva or something when he told me her name was Lai.

Question is, is there a scam coming or am I being too cautious...?

Would really appreciate some help here....

Cheers, Chris.

Chanchao

09-Dec-2003 00:13
Posts: 6,715

> am I being scammed?

> I met a tuk-tuk driver http://...

Enough information. Answer: Yes.

Cheers,
Chanchao

Check out pics and reviews of all kinds of food at chanchao.fotopages.com. Get the Thai Travel Menu, a printable bilingual menu to help you order great food off the beaten path.

Chanchao

09-Dec-2003 00:14
Posts: 6,715

Tuk tuk driver AND Low-life area number #1 (Embassador hotel / lower Sukhumvit)... Really, you have to ask???

That scum is actually reason enough for me never to want to stay on Sukhumvit again.

Check out pics and reviews of all kinds of food at chanchao.fotopages.com. Get the Thai Travel Menu, a printable bilingual menu to help you order great food off the beaten path.

GorShar

09-Dec-2003 00:30
Posts: 1,410

Big scam coming. This is a fairly common one, too. I forget exactly what happens when you get to the house, a gambling scam I think, but whatever the MO, it ends up with you losing a lot of money. Run away from this as quickly as you can.

Stories and photos of Asia at:
http://talesofasia.com

Soi_Dog

09-Dec-2003 00:42
Posts: 229

Can only mirror what the others are saying - its a common one and a scam.

I am almost certain it ends in the gambling one.

The inscription on Wood's tomb reads, simply, "He loved Thailand".

PatrickHardy

09-Dec-2003 00:45
Posts: 28

Good that you listened to the alarm bells, you should cut off all contact with those people.

zany

09-Dec-2003 00:48
Posts: 1

You're going to be told someone needs an operation...... and money to pay for it.......
Or they'll ask you for a loan for the plane ticket to England, which of course will come back to you with lots of interest.....
or..................
STAY AWAY!
or..................
Tell them to meet you at a restaurant of your choosing, then turn the tables on them and tell them you need a loan to pay for your plane ticket home!

cmelikian

09-Dec-2003 06:31
Posts: 3

Thanks people. The more I thought about it the more obvious it became.

I still find it difficult deciding who I can trust and who I can't. Some people are SOOOO nice and helpful I want to trust them. Like the family who I met on the bus in Kathmandu who were worried about me because the bus was so late so they offered to put me up for the night and drive me to Thamel in the morning. I turned them down (after thanking them!) but am wondering if I was letting a golden opportunity go...?

kevin_small

09-Dec-2003 17:50
Posts: 7

Yeah it seems that nurse one is fairly common. There was a thread on it somewhere but I cant find it now..
I had middle aged ladies befriend me opposite the World Trade Center and try the "my sister is a nurse...blah blah blah.. she is comming to your country..blah blah blah.. please come to my house to convice my family that she will be safe" approach.. There was absolutely no pressure and some how it all seems like your idea in the end.. We declined the invite as well and they very quickly left...

It is sometimes hard to tell who is genuine and who is not.. I have not traveled enough myself to tell for sure, but others tell my that once you no longer look "new" to the country, somehow the scammers leave you alone.

Vikingtraveller

09-Dec-2003 21:05
Posts: 136

Yes - Kevin Small is right. The locals can easily spot a newcomer. So all newcomers, better safe than sorry. Keep your alarm bells on, be polite and spread a lot of white lies. Never so no, but have a good excuse. Then all of you save face.

Anil

09-Dec-2003 22:53
Posts: 54

it's teh same thing, if he's genuine ask him to meet you elsewhere..not at their house.

The forecast today is dark and cloudy with a possibility of a drive-by.

Chanchao

09-Dec-2003 23:19
Posts: 6,715

I still find it difficult deciding who I can trust and who I can't

Rule of thumb:

When:
* In a tourist area (= most of Bangkok where you would find yourself)
* being approached by someone for no reason, especially by
* a single male

Then, 99% sure you can safely stare right through/over/aside the turd, much like you would do with an actual turd or cockroach. (Maeng Da comes to mind as well)

However, when in a non-tourist area, especially when you meet people in a regular situation then it's definitely worth giving them the benefit of the doubt. It's mostly fine and you get your very best travel experiences this way!!

I think I would have went along with the Kathmandu situation.

Cheers,
Chanchao

Check out pics and reviews of all kinds of food at chanchao.fotopages.com. Get the Thai Travel Menu, a printable bilingual menu to help you order great food off the beaten path.

Chanchao

10-Dec-2003 00:04
Posts: 6,715

Oh and let's include the student kids at BTS stations doing their 'tourist surveys'. These kids are probably not scammers themselves but are hired by some company to perform the surveys, getting your hotel and room number in the process. Then the company will contact you about you having 'won' some prize. Collecting this prize however means signing up for lots of other overpriced stuff.. Huge waste of time but apparently good business given the number of scammers, sometimes in groups at most BTS stations and other tourist locations.

Can't even get rude with them as they're probably considering it just a spare-time job where they get paid per filled in survey form or whatever. Have also considered filling in the form with fake hotel data, but it wouldn't make a much of a difference. I hate it. Again, reason to not stay in tourist areas anymore.

Cheers,
Chanchao

Check out pics and reviews of all kinds of food at chanchao.fotopages.com. Get the Thai Travel Menu, a printable bilingual menu to help you order great food off the beaten path.

Chanchao

10-Dec-2003 00:07
Posts: 6,715

Then again, maybe if I get rude enough perhaps I can make the 'job' as miserable for the kids as it is for tourists who fall for the scam......... Worth conisdering the next time I'm in a really bad mood.. ;-)

Check out pics and reviews of all kinds of food at chanchao.fotopages.com. Get the Thai Travel Menu, a printable bilingual menu to help you order great food off the beaten path.

thaires

10-Dec-2003 09:57
Posts: 50

"Even had some shaven headed English guy come up to me as l got in my car parked near Nana recently who was after money as some bargirl had nicked his wallet. Didn't really believe him but gave him 20 baht to get him to shut up. His response? Is that all?"

Well can you blame me? OK maybe that wasn't very gracious of me but how was I supposed to barfine a girl with 20 baht -- let alone have enough left to deposit in my ever-increasing account? Sure it adds up after a while, but most guys give me upwards of 50 baht at least.

Really, you should have done better than 20 baht. By the way, I do a pretty good English accent, don't I?

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