How Tourists Gets Cheated In Thailand – Scams to Be Aware of – Part 2

Thailand is the Land of Smiles, is a jewel of Southeast Asia. Developed enough to provide most comforts yet still wild enough to offer off-the-beaten path adventure. It is indeed like a melting pot that offers too much for too less. But where there is Joy, there are few people to take off the joy too. Here is a continuation to our earlier article about scams in Thailand. Keep reading,

1. Hotel scams

There are hotels which trade on the names of popular ones and cab drivers which are in sync to send you to a wrong hotel which you think is right.

By the time you realise, you might have already paid in full for the hotel and also a number of tours that you have signed up for.

Thumb Rule to Follow

Always check that the hotel you’ve arrived at is the one that you intend to stay at.

Along the way, use the GPS on your phone to check that you are moving in the correct direction.

2. Fake police

This scam is as old as human history, it is still common and found all over the world, although different tricks are used in different places.

In Thailand, you will be approached by a fake police who will ask to see your passport. Something wrong will be found with your visa and you will be asked to pay a fine on the spot.

Thumb Rule to Follow

If you ever face such a situation, always stay composed first. Next ask for police identification and threaten to call the police hotline to verify.

3. Timeshare/ Lucky Draw scam

On the streets, you might find a stranger approaching you with a free scratch card or questionnaire. Since it’s free, or so you thought, you proceed to scratch the card or do the questionnaire. Next thing you know you have won a prize!

However, to claim the prize, you have to head to a hotel which may or may not be nearby. Most sane tourists would probably have said thanks but no thanks and rejected the offer. However, the stranger will play the sympathy card and claim that if you don’t go, he would not be paid for doing his job.

So you go.. And you end up in a room with other tourists, listening to a presentation on timeshare apartments. At the end of it, you are presented with a special discounted price and pressured into buying. The timeshare scheme on offer probably does not exist by the way.

Thumb Rule to Follow

Reject the “kind” offer.

Just Say NO and leave.

4. Wrong change given scam

Such scam can happen anywhere as tourists are usually unfamiliar with the local currency. Some do not even bother checking their change. You get 800Bath for 1000 changed.

Thumb Rule to Follow

There are also of course, honest mistakes, but the onus is on you to check.

5. Cards/poker/blackjack scam

Scammer will look innocent and cool. may ask where you are from. It does not matter what you say, as he will say that he has a relative who is going there soon (for any reason such as studying).

Once rapport is built, he will ask if you are willing to come over to his house as his relative has some questions. Some will invite you for a game of cards outright.

Either way, at the house, you will be pressured into playing poker or blackjack with them. They will let you win the first few rounds, but the real fun begins as the stakes get higher. Your losses start piling up and should you refuse to pay, gang members will appear and threaten your life.

Thumb Rule to Follow

Whenever someone say he has a relative going/in your home country or something simila, red flags should be raised. Also, never accept an invite to a stranger’s house.

6. Fake baht scam

When you pay for an item, the shopkeeper may claim that your note is Fake. He then Confuses you and presents a fake bath as your note.

He passes you the counterfeit note and demands another note. if you pay, you will effectively be paying double!

Thumb Rule to Follow

Never let any note get out of your sight. Take note of the serial numbers of the large notes as well to ensure that your note is not swapped.

7. Bird food scam

Not exactly a scam but something like playing with emotions. First, the stranger approaches you with a bag of bird seeds. He then forces you to take the bag and to scatter the seeds on the ground. When you are done with a bag, the scammer might give you more bags or demand 100 baht for that bag. Refuse and he will get aggressive.

Thumb Rule to Follow

Firmly reject. Feed birds in your hometown.

8. Laundry scam

Be careful where you send your laundry, as your (expensive) clothes might go missing and you get no compensations besides an apology. But that’s just the first part of the scam.

The second part is that the laundry company will offer to bring you to a nearby apparel shop to replace the lost clothes. Of course, they get a commission there on everything you buy after adjusting little from the lost tee. The worst part, go to the garment shop after a week and see your lost clothes getting sold as second hand.

Thumb Rule to Follow

Send your laundry to your hotel/hostel or seek recommendations from them.

9. Pickpockets

Here one person will knock into you and the other will pickpocket you from behind.

Thumb Rule to Follow

If you want to avoid becoming a victim, it is best to keep your cash safe and secure. Avoid carrying the purse or wallet in the back pocket.

Further, keep most of your valuables and passport in the hotel safe. Carry a photocopy with you.

10. The gem scam

Another scam which can be found around the world, in India too is this Gem scam.The owner will tell you that gems are abundant in Thailand, thus you can get them for cheap & wholesale prices. If you resold these back home, you will make a killing. They might even show some “government sponsored sale” which is absolute nonsense.

There might even be other accomplices in the shop who pretend to be tourists. They will tell you that today is indeed the Thai Tourism Day and that they have just bought a beautiful piece of jewellery for a good discount. And that last time they bought some stones which they sold it in their hometown for Double.

Thumb Rule to Follow

The gems sold are worthless pieces of glass or synthetic materials. If you have fallen for the scam, contact the tourist police and file a report which you can try to submit for insurance claims. If you used a credit card for payment, contact your credit card company to either reverse those charges or to dispute them.

Emergency Numbers to Call When in Thailand.

·       Tourist Police 1155

·       Police (General Emergency Call) 191

·       Ambulance 1554

·       Fire 199

·       Medical Emergency Call 1669

·       Tourist Service Centre : 1672

Thailand is a country ripe with opportunity for once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences. Whether you start with the world-class beaches in the south or the mountain villages in the north, Thailand will not disappoint. Getting ripped off or to avoiding it is in your hands. Take precautions and enjoy the country like its your own.

Sail through every joy when in Thailand, Regret otherwise.