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.

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.

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

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...

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.

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.

Well they may be in other places but these shops in thailand in a mall will appear on the up and up to the first time traveler. It's best to let them know they stand a good chance of getting scammed. They got me and my friends and we were looking out for the scam but they were too well practiced in their art of deception.

Still a scam. I didn't buy from someone in the back in the corner in the dark behind a bush with hushed voices. I purchased from an established shop with a sign permanent display cases like any other shop. Everything about them appeared professional. It just turns out they were professional cheats. Reputable dealers that sell gems in Thailand? I'm not taking any chances.

A scam is a scam. I purchased a shirt that says Polo on it and I know it's not authentic and got the shirt I picked. A copy of the original and I didn't get scammed. I did get scammed when I baught a phone. My sister asked me to buy a few thousand dollars worth of gems for her when I go to thailand. I laughed and told her they would sell me paste and glass or scam me in some way. I didn't want to take the chance with her money.

I was stopped by customs that trip but they didn't take anything from my bags. I think he was looking for drugs. As a matter of fact, I've been stopped by customs on my last few trips and I expect to be stopped again. I think I fit a certain profile.

Why not? I'm thinking of doing a similar post for another forum of first time visitors to my state here in the usa.

Maybe I will start a thread on what the first time visitor should be aware of when in thailand.

Yep, over the years apple replaced the screen, helped me with a software upgrade issue and installed a new battery for me. I've gotten other great deals using craigslist, offer up and eBay. Also at mall clearance sales. I can't remember the last time I got scammed here in the USA. But even when I am showing a new person around in thailand I'm also warning them about the scams and the scams that got me on my first trip.

I got an iPhone here in the usa off of craigslist for $125 when they were going for $600. Came unlocked and with the oem box. No scam there.

Christian gets around more than I but I'm sure we both try to do, see and experience the most. We also tend to do things alone without others handle our purchases. But yes, I have been scammed around thailand even when I was on guard....

Anyone care to know how the scam worked or how they pulled it off?

I just remembered another scam. Two Americans and one Philippine walk into Pantip plaza...... (This is a synopsis of a post I posted on sawatdee during my 2015 trip) We decided we would buy copy phones. To make a long story short, they switched the phones with the lower quality copy and not the higher quality copy we paid for. It's difficult to tell from the outside unless you look at it with a fine tooth comb. ... I still have the phone. I'm afraid to sell it or give it away. I think someone will try to pass it off as the real thing and try to sell it.

The best scams are those that happen without the victim knowing they were cheated or scammed. When you spot the scam and avoid it, it's not a good scam.

Do I need to comment? No..... I just gave the facts to be interpreted any way the reader chooses.

I was trying to find a post by smiles that told the story of how he met his husband. I hope it is not a post that got deleted along the way. If anyone saved it, it would be great if they could post it.

When I was in Pattaya, a friend was staying in a condo at View Talay 7C and their safe stopped working. The safe had a keypad and a place for an key. The renter would not find the key and called someone to open the safe. I was there when 2 guys arrived. One looked to be a teenager and the other in his early 20's. They kicked off their shoes, went to the safe. Pulled off the plastic casing. Took a punch and a hammer and in 5 minutes they safe was open and it took them 5 more minutes to put everything back and make it look as if they were never there.

I have been visiting Thailand for about 15 years, 4 weeks at a time. For the last few years I have been coming twice a year for a total of 6 weeks at a time. Enough about me... The topic is about scams....

Deleted.

I went to sawatdee and looked up some of my old posts and a few reminded me on how much fun I had on these forums and talking about thailand. My challenge is for each of you to find one old post you enjoyed and created and share it here for us new people to read. Come on! Let the copy and pasting begin!