Share your scam stories here.

[bucknaway]

Looks like you get scammed so often you believe everything is a scam.

Not so. this post is about scams so I'm sharing the times I got scammed in thailand. I'm sure I'll get scammed again in the future. Thats life.

[firecat69]

No matter how many times you say it , it will not be true. You knew you were buying an illegal product and you bought it anyways and hopefully you learned your lesson. 

 

If you buy fakes, stolen goods etc , you will likely suffer the consequences in the USA or any other country in the world.

 

Where do you think the phrase Buyer Beware came from.

[bucknaway]

Still is a scam that first time travelers should be made aware of.

 

Just because the shop seems legit it does not mean you won't get scammed.

[Gaybutton]

Still is a scam that first time travelers should be made aware of.

 

I don't understand the argument as to whether this phone purchase was a scam.  What difference does it make whether it's called a scam or something else?  The point, as I see it, is it happened, makes an interesting story, and is in keeping with the topic.  Personally, I don't care whether it's labeled 'scam' or not.

 

As far as I can tell from these posts, bucknaway intentionally bought a copy phone he knew to be counterfeit.  The place he purchased it from switched it for a lesser quality phone.

 

When anyone knowingly buys a counterfeit phone, he's also gambling on the length of time it will work, if it works at all.  It might work a day or two, maybe a month or two.  I have yet to see a counterfeit phone that worked longer than three or four months.

 

If you buy a counterfeit and it doesn't work, then:

 

"Of course, Dear.  What did you expect?"

-  Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Higgins), 'My Fair Lady'

[bucknaway]

I don't understand the argument as to whether this phone purchase was a scam. What difference does it make whether it's called a scam or something else? The point, as I see it, is it happened and makes an interesting story and is in keeping with the topic. Personally, I don't care whether it's labeled 'scam' or not.

 

As far as I can tell from these posts, bucknaway intentionally bought a copy phone he knew to be counterfeit. The place he purchased it from switched it for a lesser quality phone.

 

When anyone knowingly buys a counterfeit, he's also gambling on the length of time it will work, if it works at all. It might work a day or two, maybe a month or two. I have yet to see a counterfeit phone that worked longer than three or four months.

 

If you buy a counterfeit and it doesn't work, then:

 

"Of course, Dear. What did you expect?"

- Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Higgins), 'My Fair LAdy'

The phone I purchased is still 8n perfect working order. It's just not the phone they pretended to put on the box. In the many shops in thailand they tend to sell 3 grades of copy phones. I selected and paid for the grade "A" copy and they pretended to give me that one. What I got was a different grade "B"

 

Why do I stress that it's a scam? It's just firecat and I refusing to give an inch to each other...

[firecat69]

I've given more then an inch. I admitted to buying an illegal copy watch. It stopped working 3 days after I got home. End of story . Tough luck for me I got what I deserved.

[bucknaway]

You were not scammed with your watch purchase. The seller used slight of hand in my purchase. It was a classic scam.

[Gaybutton]

I selected and paid for the grade "A" copy and they pretended to give me that one. What I got was a different grade "B"

 

If you already said it earlier, I missed it.  How do you know?

[bucknaway]

The phone I selected had a functioning fingerprint reader as well as more memory. During Packaging the one that they put in the box had far less memory and the fingerprint reader did not function. On one of the phones that my friend purchased it lacked a functioning camera.

 

In a text message i asked my Filipino friend how their phone was working and they told me he thinks they switched his phone.

[firecat69]

Why don't you get it? You were buying a fake. If he had a 100 of them piled up they would all work differently.

 

They are junk and you decided to buy junk and even if I believe he substituted another phone . What were you doing while he showed you the phones. What did you do, go to the Bar and return. If you had a working phone in your hand you should have put it in a bag added the box and left with your purchase , aware that you were purchasing something that was illegal.

 

Your lack of awareness does not mean you got scammed , rather that you made a bad decision.  

 

By the way what was the supposed make of the phone just out of curiosity?

[bucknaway]

There is a bar in pantip plaza?

 

As far as drinking goes, I don't drink much, but I do indulge in cola when I'm on vacation and a beer now and then. But I've never thought..... man, I sure could use a beer. And I never thought.... I'm going to enjoy some drinking tonight. It's often you will find just cranberry juice mixed with orange juice in my glass.

 

Thailand is known as the land of fakes and copies.

 

I know the Rolex I got for 300 baht is not a real Rolex. If the guy who sold me the Rolex swapped it for a fake Casio without me noticing then that would be a scam as well.

 

I can go to my local weekend market and have no fear of slight of hand scams. My Thai friends often tell me of the popular scams. The problem is that the scammers are well practiced in their deception and the common tourist often don't stand a chance. But that is part of the thrill. Sitting on the plane going home with the satisfaction that you avoided the worst scams.

[firecat69]

But evidently you don't avoid the scams. You still did not tell me the supposed model of the fake phone?

 

Plus Thailand is no different then most Asian countries that sell fakes to people who should no better.

 

Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia etc etc etc so once again only in your own mind is Thailand the land of fakes and copies.

 

You live in the USA? Any major city sells fakes of everything, mainly because people like you buy them.

[bucknaway]

Scams elsewhere have nothing to do with scams in Thailand. This is a thread about scams in thailand in a forum about thailand.

 

You're right, I didn't mention the phone model, it's not relevant and it's just another thing you want to argue over.

[firecat69]

It is relevant because if it is Apple then in 5 minute you should have known it was useless..  

 

And you are who said Thailand is known as the Land of Fakes and Copies .  Wrong just like you are wrong about scams .

 

Even using the term loosely  you have had more scams then everyone else in this thread put together. And I'm sure you will even come up with more.

 

That should tell you something! You evidently are an Easy Mark!

 

Would you like to buy the Brooklyn Bridge?

[bucknaway]

Your not reading, your just posting replies.....

 

I'm going to take a break from this thread for a while.  It's the weekend and there are things I want to enjoy and just not continue to go back and forth with one poster in a no win conversation.

 

Anyway, enjoy your weekend and I sincerely mean that

[firecat69]

Have a nice weekend

Hope you can come back with a coherent argument.  HeHe

[bucknaway]

I dont argue on message boards. It's just entertainment.

[vinapu]

 

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.

 

 

most likely it's why, you know your way in Thailand so it's not as easy to scam you there as in Prague or Budapest where you are novice. You are not trying to tell us that Thais are 100 times more honest than Czechs or Hungarians, do you ? / my underlines /

[vinapu]

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. 

 

 

 

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.

 

I just started reading this thread and wonder how such different opinions on subject  by esteemed and experienced  members will be reconciled, getting comfortable in the first row LOL

[a447a]

Bucky, if it's any consolation, I get where you are coming from re: the mobile phone scam.

 

The seller didnt give you what you paid for, substituting it with an inferior model, That's a scam in my book,

[vinapu]

 

 

Scams with change can easily be avoided by paying the exact amount in such situations.

 

 

it's what I thought until waiter in XSize came back telling me that  I put 100 less in the bin than invoices were. Not true but I decided not to make a fuss over 100 baht

[Gaybutton]

I just started reading this thread and wonder how such different opinions on subject  by esteemed and experienced  members will be reconciled, getting comfortable in the first row LOL

 

I was talking about scams in general and I thought I made it clear that the vast majority of scam victims are the Thais themselves.  Firecat69 has been saying that most farang do not end up as scam victims.

 

In fact, in post 22 in this topic I wrote, "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.."

 

Where do you see a difference of opinion between firecat69 and me or anything that needs to be reconciled?

[firecat69]

I just started reading this thread and wonder how such different opinions on subject  by esteemed and experienced  members will be reconciled, getting comfortable in the first row LOL

So many things to answer? HeHe  . Possible you need to read more carefully . A substantial majority of the posters in this thread have never experienced a scam unless you count a taxi trying to charge a flat rate which most agree with me is not a scam.

 

One member has experienced more scams then all the rest of the posters put together and I have no doubt he will think of more.

 

One member seems to be careless with his companions and money and thus has suffered a number of thefts.

 

Many members have said they have never experienced any scams or thefts and take note that most of them have been to Thailand many many nights on many many trips.

 

 

As far as Budapest and Prague , the scams involved rigged meters on taxis and visits to supposed Brothels. 

 

I was armed with knowledge of taxis but it is damn hard to avoid the crooks even with foreknowledge . Maybe they have UBER now and those problems would be solved .  Of course visitors to BKK could also use UBER or the other company .

 

Now as someone who has probably visited more massage parlors then any member which are certainly a great spot to have money etc stolen. Please tell us how many thefts you have experienced and please tell us about all the scams you have been subjected to.

 

And by the way I do think in general that Thais are more honest then many Asian countries.  But it is just my opinion based on thousands of days spent in Thailand with no problems of any kind 99% of the time.

[firecat69]

The phone I selected had a functioning fingerprint reader as well as more memory. During Packaging the one that they put in the box had far less memory and the fingerprint reader did not function. On one of the phones that my friend purchased it lacked a functioning camera.

 

In a text message i asked my Filipino friend how their phone was working and they told me he thinks they switched his phone.

And essentially that means nothing .  If you did your research as you say you did you would have know junk stops working. It may stop working in 1 day or 1 week or 1 month but it is junk and it will stop working .

 

If it was an Apple I can't imagine why anyone would buy a copy. It is well known the batteries suck, there is no Siri function, you cannot download apps from the App Store you must register the serial number and you don't have one and the list goes on and on. You would be much better off buying a legitimate Google phone.

[Guest]

Why don't you get it?

You are the only one not getting it. Your mind is closed and not receptive to sharing scams for the benefit of all.

Sharing scams enables others to avoid them.

Instead of ignoring this thread, you attempt to insult & question the intelligence of multiple members.

 

This is not smart behaviour.

 

 

Your comment about not having problems 99% of the time is probably accurate, but you should recognise some of us want to avoid scams 100% of the time. Increased knowledge on the topic is one way to do that.