Farang on Farang Scam

[jimboLV]

A couple weeks ago I was in the new Tesco picking up a few items, and I happened to notice a farang who always seemed to be around the corner or at the end of the aisle I was in. I checked out and headed for the escalator and saw him following me. He caught up with me on the escalator and struck up the usual conversation, where are you from, how long have you lived here, etc. He said he was German, had been living in Thailand 15 years but that this was his first day in Udon. Then he proceeded to tell me his tale of woe. He had lost his wallet, passport, and mobile phone - - left it on the bus from Nong Bua Lam Phu. Now I was in a hurry as I had left the wife and baby in the car while I dashed in to pick up a few items, so I didn’t care to socialize at the moment. Plus I was suspicious about his manner. So I advised him to call the tourist police and have them take him to a Christian Church and they would surely help him, and quickly hurried away into the car park. It just seemed rather strange that someone who has lived here for 15 years and lost their wallet would have other avenues of help rather than seeking out perfect strangers in a shopping center. I mentioned the incident to my wife and she was rather shocked that a farang would try to scam another farang.

Fast forward to yesterday, back at Tesco this time with wife and baby. While I was nosing around some of the shops (and taking in some of the abundant eye candy :-" ) wife strikes up a conversation with one of the shopkeeper ladies on the first floor who asked her if I had given the gent any money. Seems she had noticed him approaching me, (I guess we stick out like a sore thumb, old farang, young wife and cute farang baby), and told my wife that he was somewhat a fixture at Tesco, approaching farangs and she once saw a farang giving him 500 baht. She also used to work at the old Tesco and had seen him there many times.

So if you are approached by a rather tall, lanky distinguished looking gentleman with a German accent but speaks perfect English with a tale of woe, give this low life short shrift, he is probably making a handsome sum by scamming other farangs.

[lee]

Thanks for the heads-up. A similar story was reported here about 2 years ago (man with the mop), same nationality but not sure about the height: http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/f ... 10227.html

[polehawk]

I think I ran into the same guy at the old Tesco's last week except I got the impression he was a Scandinavian. Gray haired guy with a mustache, slim, in his 50s, spoke with an accent, smoking a butt and wandering around the parking lot. He struck up a conversation while I was putting groceries in my van. Said he was from Rayong and been up in Udon for a visit. Brought St Mary's into it for some reason. As soon as he started in with his tale of woe about losing his wallet and has no money to take bus back home I told him he should call the Tourist Police and hopped into the van and got out of there. I would give a desperate person a little cash but this guy's story wasn't sounding true to me. Wonder if there's more than one farang working this scam in the area?

[nkstan]

I would have taken his picture,asked him to turn his pockets out,remove his shoes,then if he stuck around,I would have told him to hop in,''I'll take you to the bus stop and buy you a ticket''!On the way I would have pulled in to the police station as he might need a work permit to beg!
No cell phone ,no friends to call collect

[jimboLV]

Lee I went back and read the old thread. Sounds like the same guy except he had gray hair, not blond. Same line about churches, priest. Maybe he makes the circuit of various cities and has now resurfaced in Udon. If I see him again and the wife is with me I'll get her to take a pic to publish on here.

[old-timer]

Jimbo, it's sorted, I've told the eldest son (14 years old) to take his younger brothers in my pick up to lotus car park and k1ck the ---- out of anyone who speaks german. Lets hope nobis not doing his shopping.

OT.......

[jimboLV]

O/T Always has a solution.

[marshbags]

This could be the ???? I came across in Nong Khai on Tuesday.

The O.P. describes him to a T, was German, tallish and slim, dressed in a darkblue / white striped polo shirt and could be fiftyish.

Started giving me the speel, but I cut him short and told him no chance.

He didn,t argue, paused for a minute then left and went off looking for the next punter who may have took pity on him.

I noticed his shoes had been cut away around the toes area by the way ????

Take care and if he comes towards you and starts his well rehearsed tale of woe, ignore him.

marshbags

[malc123]

Last week he was walking around the new Tesco, spoke with me said that he had come by bus and lost his back pack with money and wallet, did not know where he was going to sleep that night, said was waiting for his wife and Tesco's was nice and cool, also asked about a church. I made small talk with him and moved off. Then I saw him again last wekend in the UD tesco he smiled at me I keepet walking. He has nearly no teeth, and I would say his hair is white.

malc123

[csbaker22]

Jimbo, it's sorted, I've told the eldest son (14 years old) to take his younger brothers in my pick up to lotus car park and k1ck the ---- out of anyone who speaks german. Lets hope nobis not doing his shopping.

OT.......

=D> great comment

So, I shouldn't go shopping in Tesco because of my german Nationality?

[old-timer]

So, I shouldn't go shopping in Tesco because of my german Nationality?

Best not to for the time being, however, my kids will be home for tea soon so don't worry yourself too much.


OT......unbelievable...

[parrot]

10 or so years ago, a Thai friend was taking us to Nongkai. He stopped for gas at the Jiffy gas station just past Lotus. A falang (European accent) came up to the window of the car and said his motorcycle had broken down and he had no cash. He offered the 'gold watch' on his wrist, worth, he said, "10,000 baht" but he'd take 8000. When no one in our car seemed interested, the price rapidly dropped all the way to 2000 baht.
The guy doesn't fit the description of the one in Lotus.

[Khun Paul]

ON an occasion somewhat later in fact the other day, near to Ratchinutit school a Foreigner came and sat down on a bench outside a small school and then told a tale of losing his money on a bus, he had his wallet though but no money, but he did have enough for can of Chang, and then had the temerity to ask for 40baht for a tuk tuk to take him to the police station. he got short shrift, maybe the same guy . last seen swearing and walking towards the local plod station.

[Bilko]

Come on you lot, cut this guy some slack. He's only been here 15 years, he's lost 4 wallets, a passport a backpack, his bloody motorbike's packed up, his shoes have no toes in them and now his teeth are starting to fall out. it cant get any worse. Oh, and he's german.

[hangsaboot]

Jimbo, it's sorted, I've told the eldest son (14 years old) to take his younger brothers in my pick up to lotus car park and k1ck the ---- out of anyone who speaks German. Lets hope nobis not doing his shopping.

There's a guy of similar description often seen stalking around UD on the monkey parade. He never buys a drink or a meal.
He has approached many Thai ladies trying his luck, his usual chat up line is "I am farang, come and get me". He's so embarrassing.

I passed him one night, he was walking out of town, I was on a motorbike and gave him some verbal, and fkd off .... he's a big bstd..

OT, I have been told he's from Norway and he has a Thai wife!

[pienmash]

Just seen this thread and i did have a fella of this description come in Chern Chim last week sometime i remember the well dodgy shoes with the toes cut out and his toes sticking out , he tried to bum some food and a drink said he was waiting for his wife to arrive in Udon or something - i politely said i exchange food for pieces of paper with the kings head on and told him to fak orf (politely)

jon

[maikauzai]

Why hasn't he been deported?

[kjellsnell]

I think i saw this man in new Tesco around one week ago.....he is not so tall....think around 170 cm and 55 year and have grey short hair and a slim mustach if i remember things. He looks at me when i was order in KFC and then circels around the foodarea and then come back look at me when sit and eat my food.....but he didnt say something but i wonder why he was looking around as he does.

I was in a bad mod that day cause the service at KFC was very bad...so maybe he hear my conversation whit my wife and employes at KFC.....was too scared try f..k me up.......next time i seen was upstairs.....inside Tesco....also looking at me.....i meen....not in that normal small curios way expats look at each other before say hello......this was something else....

[easterneye]

If he is this hard up how the hell does he show 800000 in the bank 3 months before re- newal time each year ?????
Ok bit of a rhetorical question I know ,,,,,,, but it makes you wonder

[red67]

If he is this hard up how the hell does he show 800000 in the bank 3 months before re- newal time each year ?????
Ok bit of a rhetorical question I know ,,,,,,, but it makes you wonder

sounds like he keeps his own money in the bank and gets handouts off farangs