Why are you playing blackjack with Thai people? surely you could see a scam coming. As you said they certainly saw you coming

Yeah totally, I got caught up in this one recently. I was across in Bangkok last week (20 May) and this guy started the rap on me in Chatuchak. I went with them to the house and started playing blackjack. I just went along with it and told them I had no money so we would need to go back to my hotel. When I got dropped off I had a shower and stayed in the room for a while - when I went back out they were gone. Best thing to do in those situations is just keep your cool I reckon.

I was interested to see that this scam is still going.I got caught up in it back in 1988 on my first visit to Thailand.I did'nt consider myself to be naive,i was'nt walking around with an open map looking lost,but i was sucked in by a guy who approached me on Silom Road.He had a sister who was a nurse going to work in London.The family were all very worried about her going and they were having a party that afternoon for her.I,of course,was welcome to go along and meet her and then,perhaps,at a later date meet up with her in London.The sister of course is the bait on the hook in this scam.Even though i was a little wary i still got into a cab with this guy and we went to a house that even now i would'nt be able to find again.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing.All of those seemingly innocent questions such as "is this your first time in Thailand?"-"can you speak Thai?"- "how long are you staying?"etc reveal a lot more about yourself than you think.
To cut a very long story short there was no one else at the house except one other guy.He was the one who showed me how he was going to cheat some Indian guy at Blackjack to get back at him.They painted a very poor picture of this rich Indian.
I believe its the speed of events that keep this con going.The one thing that i remember,in hindsight,is the fact that they never stopped talking to me.All the time talking talking.I'm convinced it was almost a sort of brain washing.I had no time to think.
I did'nt play cards,certainly never for money.But in a sudden rush of events i was handed a large sum of money as the Indian appeard and i found myself playing for seemingly high stakes against him.I was winning because i'd been shown how to cheat.Then in what was going to be the last hand the stakes were getting higher and higher until i ran out of money,none of which was mine up to that point,there was supposedly $32,000 in the pot.With my cards i had 21,the Indian i knew had 20. The game was put on hold for an hour or so so i could raise some more cash,the cards were sealed and the Indian left.The two Thai guys were beside themselves with joy,one was even crying he was so happy.I stood to make $8000.I was almost crying myself.Then it comes to the crunch.They had no more money to lend me,how much did i have?I only had travellers cheques.The money was just for show they said.Although a little reluctantly i found myself in a cab on the way to a bank to cash my cheques and then finish off the game.This is where the mistake was made that allowed me to come to my senses.The one that came with me stopped talking.The whole thing hit me as though i'd run into a brick wall.Again to cut a very long and complicated story short i made my escape and avoided losing all i had.It was a very close call.
I realise that in telling the story the whole thing looks so ridicoulas you wonder how anyone could ever be so stupid to get caught up in such a thing.I do believe though that there is something in the way they just keep on talking all the time.I would be interested to know if anyone else has found this.I also wonder what the outcome would have been if i had cashed my cheques and gone back to finish the game.Would i still be alive today?They would have taken my money somewhere along the line,would it have been by force?Would the cards have been switched so that i lost the game?If that was the case they would still have to get rid of me somehow.
At the time i was so angry with the people that pulled the scam,i was even more angry with myself for being so stupid.I know that many people would say as the Thai's would say "som nam naa"(serves you right)but iv'e learned from it and now nearly twenty years later i'm seldom approached by con men in the street.I guess they can spot a newbie a mile away.And in those days there was no internet with sights like this warning of such things.

That's the reason that anytime a Thai comes up to me on the street and wants to talk, I ignore them. Only bad can come from a stranger approaching you on the street and engaging in personal conversation. The scammers always walk away cursing...but who cares??...I don't waste any time talking to any street people...unless of course I need directions...and I make a quick job of getting instructions and terminating the conversation. Greed and stupidity are no no''''s

I have just been involved in this - approached by a middle-aged couple at Big C in Saphan Kwai. They seemed quite genuine and said that their daughter was going to the UK next month and they were worried about her and wanted her to get some advice from a British person before going. I agreed to meet her (at their house) but surprisingly enough she wasn't there. Some kind of relative was, though, and started showing me how to cheat at Blackjack. At the point where it went from being theoretical to him wanting us to play against an Arab, cheat, and split the profits (70 for him, 30 for me) I decided to leave. It was obviously very dodgy. I am still supposed to be meeting this 'daughter' in an hour and a half - and will go because I am interested to see whether she exists and what the next scam is supposed to be. Certainly won't be hanging around for long, though.

Interesting experience, but could be expensive for those who don't realise what is going on.

13 July 2007. BKK.

Why would you go back? Even if the "daughter" does exist, what then ? maybe go out for dinner? DON'T BE A FOOL!
What happens if they do get violent or maybe even brandish weapons ,say ,oh I don't know, maybe a GUN! What then? Still an "Interesting experience' or just plain STUPIDITY? Maybe you should re-read the end of the previous thread....Greed and "STUPIDITY" are no no''s!!!

Calm down - nobody showed up as far as I could see. I was in James Bond mode, anyway, watching from across the way. I wasn't going to sit and wait where I said I would be, just in case, but it was a public location in the afternoon so I don't think there was much risk involved.

Lao word is heck da. You go in with your eye's open. If your ripped off....to bad so sad. You asked for it.

If you play cards for money while in thailand not only will you lose your cash but also your liberty as it is against the law to gamble here , you will be locked up until you see the judge and either get a jail sentence or a very big fine and you will be deported ,

This scam is also going on in Bali and Kuala Lumpur. Thankfully, I'd been warned about it in Thailand. I ended up getting a meal bought for me before I fronted the woman about it (we were in a crowded public place). Like Richard R's experience,the lady never stopped talking to me and even blatantly passed a security guard some money. Anyway, I guess it's best to always be polite to people you speak to on the street.... some people are genuine.

I'm not sure who said it, but I think that it was WC Fields; "You can't cheat an honest man"

This explains things, twice now here in BKK and once in Bali I have been fed the line about the daughter going to study in America/the UK. I could smell a scam a mile away so would just shake my head and walk away, but I was always wondering what they were up to.

I was caught by this about 20 years ago in Manila, and lost all the money I had with me - about 10 pounds. Hardly worth it for the huge team of scammers - at least 5 people. Then about a year ago I met this friendly chap in the street near Pantip Plaza in Bangkok. He had a sister who was a nurse and was about to go to London....I believed this and agreed to meet the man again 2 days later. The sisterand aged mother allegedly lived nearby but the taxi I got into with the man's "brother-in-law" (the man claimed another appointment) took over 30 minutes to get to our destination. After a snack I was introduced to Uncle X who claimed to be a cruise liner croupier. He started teaching me how to cheat at blackjack and only at this point did I realise what was happening. We were then joined by "Mr Ahmed from Brunei" with a suitcase full of money for me to "win". At this point I said I was leaving. There was no attempt to keep me there and they got me a taxi to the nearest skytrain station. About 2 weeks ago walking down Silom Road in Bangkok I was approached by this (different) friendly person who said his sister was a nurse and was about to go to work in London.....I told him I didn't play blackjack and he went off.

Same thing almost happened to me. A woman calling herself Fatima approached me in the Siam centre. I told her I was from Birmingham and, guess what, her 21-year-old cousin was going there to learn English in a few months time and would I like to meet her and tell her about UK. Yeah right!!

This brings back memories for me!
I've lived in Thailand for ten years now, but my first ever day in Bangkok I got deliberately involved in an obvious scam. I'd been backpacking around the world and had a hard time in India with some many scams there that I was looking for one here, for something to do. Yes I I was taken for food at someone's house, then the "uncle" tried to get me involved in this scam (I'm a croupier in Malaysia, but need a western guy to help me make money for my sick wife.)
Where he failed was all my fault, as I know absolutely nothing about cards or gambling and it doesn't interest me - the most I've done in my life was to play snap - honestly!
So I was out looking for a scammer in 1990 and found one, only to fail due to my lack of worldly knowledge about cards!
Trip down memory lane for me - thanks!

I was in KL last year, and aware of the scam. I met with a man whom wished for me to call him uncle, outside Plaza Low Yat in Jln. Bukit Bintang. The man somehow new I was from New Zealand (maybe tipped off by someone whom had spoken to me previously), and said "hey! Do you happen to be from New Zealand? My daughter will go there to be a nurse and she needs help settling in." I told him I would go to the coffee stall nearby to meet her, but already knew what was going on. Hey, I was bored and needed something to do.
So the man introduced me to his sister, whom told me the daughter was at the hospital looking after their sick grandmother however, they would take me home and cook lunch for everyone. I went along with it, knowing what was going on (hey, I am a risk taker and not afraid of weapons etc).
Soon after arriving in Cheaw Lin, the man advised me he sold cruise liner tickets, and his brother (whom was also there), used to be a dealer in Las Vegas and on the cruise liners. They first taught me to play (I already knew, but I thought Id have them teach me again for fun). After that, they taught me to cheat. They then told me that a man from Hong Kong was coming to pick up some cruise tickets, and they wished for me to cheat him using their money - I told them I made enough money to not need to cheat anyone, but that I would watch them cheat him. They told me to tell them I wanted a cup of coffee when I think the game should stop. We played, and I listened to the man talk. I can speak Cantonese, so soon knew from the accent of the man as he spoke English that he was not from HK (a Honkee, as my friends like to call each other). At one point, we almost lost, and they asked me for RM70 so they could keep playing. I had some cash, so passed it over (hey, it would have cost me nearly as much for entertainment anywhere else!). I asked the "Hong Kong Man" a question in Cantonese, and he looked at me puzzled. I said it was time for a coffee, and for me to go home. All of them left, except for the leader of the gang, "Uncle".
Uncle told me that on the other side of the door was a man with a gun and if I did not pay 10,000USD, they would take my life instead. I politely told the man what I did for a living, and made him "an offer he couldn’t refuse".
Uncle then, with the rest of his family, took me back to Jln Bukit Bintang. I took the registration plate of the car.
The security manager at my hotel by chance was friends with the chief of Police for KL, and details were passed over (yes, I stayed in one of those flashy 5 stars :p). A few days later, I saw "uncles" car in a nearby street I had been frequenting. Truth be known, after making another "offer he could not refuse", I took far more ringgit than he took from me.
I laugh to this day, about the time I "scammed the scammer". I may have been lucky, and may have been stupid, but I did come out on top. Nobody tells me about his or her daughter who is coming to NZ anymore when I walk around KL.

well done hamish. I was invited to a birthday party in KL and ended in the same scam. Now, when they bring up the cup of coffee, there is one more round to go, they bet high and want you to sign an iou for 50000 to be able to match the bet. Of course they have given you a winning hand. I finally quit there and let them win the initial bets. My main problem was that I could not understand why I had played in the first place. I do not like playing cards, and I do not gamble! Next day I Googled why I was having these constricted pupils,and found that I must have been drugged with rohypnol or something. I had accepted one tea. These drugs slow down your brain, which explains why I was protesting all the time that I did not want to play, but played anyway. It also explains why they keep talking that much, like Richard also writes: it feeds your brain with more info, the brain is slow, and you make the wrong judgment. Impaired judgment is one key word with rohypnol. Registration plate WLC 598 this time. I ll probably see that car again, like you, one of these days. There exists an antidote against rohypnol btw, i just found that on the net. Like you, I have woken up to the reality in KL.

Once again, don't try to make a profit on vacation. This philosophy will make most scams ineffective.

Exacty the same as what Hamish described (jan 6) happened to me some 3 years ago in Bali. I was invited by a Philipino to his house, ... sister story, grandma story,... . Only this time the "stupid" rich gambler was a Malaysian. He brought a brick of USD and put it on the table. I nedded to get out of the game or lose 5000 USD (my "so called debt" to the Philipino which would win from the Malaysian), i made up some convincing story (just like them) and got out... guess i was lucky also.

I was in Thailand in july 07' met a nice guy on the street, was very aware of his technique to get information from me but went along with it because i wanted advice about my Thai gf that i was having trouble with, declined the first invite to meet his sister but then phoned him a few days later for more advice and found myself at a card table in the suburbs of BKK. I just flatout refused to play but went along with learning the trick, finaly after they apparantly lost all their dough to the other player because i refused to be involved' i found myself in a taxi and getting dropped off at the train station somewhat relieved that i was not foced to defend myself and perhaps hurt someone and end up in jail or in a ditch somewhere. Interesting experience indeed.

It happened to me just last week in Bangkok. Guy comes up to me and says you are tall. Where are you from? Canada, he says: my niece is going to go to school to learn english. Are you from Vancouver? Yes, oh, how great. I am so lucky to meet you. Could we have a coffee and you can tell me about Canada. my niece would be so happy. Lets go and have lunch. Wow! a friendly Thai.

Off we go and he tells me his mother is in the hospital and he is going home. We grab a taxi and I still dont have a clue where we went. Somewhere in South Bangkok. They were very nice. I go to his house, very nice home, nice furniture. He tells me he is a blackjack dealer and cheats millionaires. I dont say anything and we have some fruit and drinks. Then he tells me a gay singapore man is coming to pick up tickets and would I play a fun game with him. Sure, fun what to hell they are$50 on me and no credit cards, no interact, I had a winning hand and they wanted me to cover the bets. I said no way and got up to leave , I am 6'6" tall and weight in at 280 # The said we will meet at night and split the money.

I was a bit worried by this time. It was slowly sinking in. I got to get out of here alive. I told them to call a taxi and that they would have to pay. Yes I made it out safely. I loved the guy from NZ that reversed thescam. I was wishing some of my friends were there with me to reverse the stink. But you never know where the gun is. The Police are also involved. Be very careful in Bangkok

be carefull anywhere you go

I was actually stupid enough to fall for this scam today in Bangkok. The same sister-wants-to-work-in-Germany-as-a-nurse story. So I wasted around $1000 and an afternoon. Well, it wasn't completely wasted... At least I learned a lesson.

As much as I hate those guys (and myself) now, as much I admire their talent for acting.

Let's see..... meeting a stranger..... they take you away from a public spot to
a remote location/house.... you have no clue to where you are or how to get to/from
there........ NOPE... this is totally legit.. nothing to worry about here folks......
other than risking getting your picture on InterPOLs missing persons list......
DO NOT GO ANYWHERE WITH ANYONE YOU DO NOT PERSONALLY KNOW... the best way to
end up on the State-side 9 O'Clock news! I know foreign travel can be fun adn adventurous, but there IS a difference between adventurous and fool-hardy!

isnt it strange that most stories begin with, we met these nice guys/girl/ stranger etc etc etc . Hello if someone is intent on scamming you they are not going to be nasty to you are they. Beware of the Thai smile, it can be so false. would you trust anyone from your home town , who smiles at you and promises to make you money. its the same in Thailand, the faces are different but the people are the same.

A nice find this site, and relieved to find I'm not the only travelling fool ;)

Anyways, same same story, happened a few years ago; friendly woman walks up to me in MBK, and starts chatting to me (note to self: friendly women don't usually walk up to farangs in MBK, at least not without monetary reasons). Says she has a sister wanting to be a nurse in farang-land, so she needs to learn English, would I be interested in meeting her and helping her practice a bit? I couldn't find fault in her story so far (practice makes perfect I guess, and they must have a 6th sense in picking out naive victims to fool). She is still single and a very nice lady, she adds. Goes without saying, I was sold, let's go!

We're off in a taxi. Is it far? No, not far at all she says. So we drive to somewhere far, in the north-eastern suburbs, to arrive at a 1-story house. A few teens in the living room. Sit down please, would you like a drink? Beer please.

My sister is not here at the moment, but she will be soon; please eat in our house while we wait. We eat some simple dishes. In comes this man, the father. After some chitchat, he asks me if I play cards, blackjack. No I don't. Would I like to learn? Sure why not, we're done eating, and the sister hasn't arrived yet. We enter and sit in another room, a bedroom IIRC. While he's showing me how to play, he tells me he's a croupier at some underground casino, making a lot of money by scamming rich business-men. How clever, I'm thinking (but why are you living in this hovel then?), and alarmbells start ringing in my head. I play along and feign interest and naivity (a natural at that). He tells me he's expecting some Arab businessman to arrive at his house soon, and he's expecting to make a lot of money by cheating this man, but he needs the help of another player, can I help him? I answer I can't play this game, as I'm not a gambler. Don't worry my friend, it's easy, and you will get half of the money we win. How much money can we win, I ask merely out of curiosity. About a few hundred to a few thousand dollars if we're lucky. Uhuh. In the meantime he's showing me how to play the cheating game. Some moments later someone is entering the living-room, it turns out to be the Arab man, well ... I can barely hold laughing out loud, he looks more like a neighbour disguised as an Arab man, with beard and some kind of Arab dress. He speaks English, with a Thai accent. I say I have to go. No no, they say, you can't go yet, the lovely sister will be here soon. The 'Arab' is ushered in the gambling room, and I excuse myself for really having to go as I have a meeting in a few hours with business partners; I made that up, but just to let them know I will be missed should they have other plans with me. Anyhoo, it made some impression, as they budge, and the woman offers to escort me back. No, it's all right I say, I can find my way back, now raging inside, and wanting to get out as quickly as possible. Really, it's nothing, and you can't get a taxi here. So she orders a taxi by phone. I expect anything to arrive, some thugs to beat me up perhaps. But no, a shiny taxi arrives promptly. The woman escorts me in the taxi (go away woman!), and we drive amongst the ringways north of the city. Suddenly she makes an excuse she has to go another way. We stop and she waves for another taxi. The woman tells the second taxi driver where to take me. When I entered the taxi, the driver laughs out loud, laughing at yet another victim of the scam he seems to know well ...

Lesson learned, for the fee of a taxi-ride back to my hotel. Having travelled throughout Asia extensively I usually can smell a scam from miles away, because mostly their stories are easy to see through. But her story was quite believable, and like I said, I couldn't find fault or harm in it, at first. Of course, this stuff may happen if you trust people too easily; afterwards I could kick myself for being so foolhearted/headed. Then again, I couldn't live with the premise of trusting no-one in life, as some suggested. It wasn't greed for money that led me to following the woman, as this wasn't discussed at all at first, and when the gambling story turned up, I still wasn't interested in winning money. Just the chance to meet up and chat with a normal, single, female Thai citizen and the curiosity to see what would come of that ... a different kind of greed you say?

A stranger invites you to rob some poor unfortunate with him, you have no moral qualms about it and say yes. It turns out you're the one who's robbed.

There's a kind of Som Num Na to this scam.

With all these stories about the scammers teaching the mark how to cheat at blackjack, why doesn't anyone please explain how this is done?? I live near a casino and that kind of info wouldnt go astray lol