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A con artist in action
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For jaded expatriates and seasoned visitors to Thailand, the jewellery scams sprung on new arrivals to Bangkok are a running joke. The victims, however, don’t find the topic so amusing. Nor do the Thai officials trying to protect the Kingdom's reputation.
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The tourist police should be contacted if you think you’ve been scammed
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Despite warnings posted in hotels, guesthouses and on street signs (thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT), people are still scammed, some losing thousands of dollars. For example, a 24-year-old Canadian, JoAnn Larson (not her real name), was on a two-week vacation in Thailand when she spent 76,000 Baht (US$1,900) on jewellery worth a fraction of that amount. Some may scoff at her gullibility but an examination of her case and other scams reveals how easy it is to be duped. I experienced it first hand by posing as a tourist at Bangkok's Grand Palace where I was picked up by several different jewellery scam touts. The basic process
Touts in tourist areas tell passers-by about special jewellery promotions at a particular shop. The tourist is packed off with a partner tuk-tuk driver on a ‘tour’ of a nearby wat (temple) followed by a trip to the jewellery store. At the shop, well-spoken staff explain how the tourist can buy jewels and resell them abroad for double the money. This simple outline, however, does not do justice to the myriad of tricks at the scammers' disposal. Some of the key tactics are outlined below.
Foreign partners
While relatively rare, this ploy is extremely potent and it was used to devastating effect on JoAnn. A Westerner ‘shopping’ at the store when the victim arrives recounts how he (it's usually a male) made money selling jewellery abroad. A tourist might be sceptical hearing about overseas sales from Thai salespeople but the word of a fellow Westerner suddenly add validity.
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Potential victims climb into a tuk-tuk to begin their odyssey
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Government legitimacy
Although there are several variations, scams almost always invoke some official government agency or promotion. The shops are ‘government owned’ with jewellery at ‘government prices’. The ‘special tax promotions’ or ‘the annual export promotion week’ mean the jewellery is inexpensive and all the sales are ‘government guaranteed’ as well. These shops are not back alley affairs, they look quite established and legitimate. Likewise, Thailand does have active export promotion agencies; the fact that they don't own shops or grant special tax holidays are distinctions often lost on newcomers.
For example, the man staffing the jewellery counter of one shop I visited whipped out a calculator and outlined in great detail how easy it would be to make money buying and selling jewellery. The temporary ("This week only!") tax incentives including no 96 per cent luxury tax, 195 per cent export tax and (by special arrangement with the United States of America) no 33 per cent US import tax, meant my profit was in the bag.
Consistency
Over the course of two or three days in Bangkok, some tourists will hear from numerous different sources: touts, tuk-tuk drivers, ‘guides’ at wats and jewellery store staff, about ‘export promotion week’. With constant reinforcement from many sources, even the ludicrous becomes believable.
Greed
As I peer down at the pretty jewellery and the well-spoken gentleman behind the counter explains how much money I could make re-selling abroad, I want to believe him. For anyone, especially a tourist who has saved hard to visit Thailand, the prospect of a ‘free’ trip to this magical country of beautiful temples and friendly people is a dream come true. It is not surprising that so many people jump at the chance.
The above list of tricks is only a fraction of what scammers throw at their victims. Those who live in or are familiar with Thailand will be spared the loss of money and pride. However, those who fall victim to the well-organised, highly skilled con artists roaming the streets of Bangkok should not be judged harshly.
If you are approached by anyone pretending to be a 'free' tour guide or someone who can offer you a great deal on jewellery, politely decline and forget about getting a bargain or becoming rich quick by selling jewellery abroad. If you want to buy jewellery, take your time, don’t let a sales person pressure you and contact the tourist police if you think the offers being made are too good to be true.
The TAT, Tourist Police and Thai Gem & Jewellery Traders Association have web sites providing further information on how to avoid being scammed, the latter is geared to those looking to export for sale abroad.
Tourist Police
www.tourist.police.go.th
Tel. 1155 (anywhere within Thailand)
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tourist Assistance Centre
Tel. (+66 2) 694 1222 ext. 1090-4
www.tat.or.th
Thai Gem & Jewellery Traders Association
www.thaigemjewelry.or.th
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