Bangkoktraveler Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 But I am 100% sure that it does not cover paying too much for a product as described... Did the consumers get their rubies & emeralds? Yes' date=' as described. Could they sell them for more than they paid for them? NO. That's the issue here, plain and simple. Any of y'all want to change my mind? Show me proof that someone got glass instead of semi-precious stones. Show me that they got something that was not on the cert provided by the shops. Legal case docs are fine. Then, and ONLY then, will I agree that it is a scam. Otherwise, save your breath. Cheers, SD[/quote'] I sell jewelry and have been to some of the gem 'scamming' stores. As far as I am concerned, these characters probably can sell a black cat as a white cat if they wanted to. The stores I have been to, had nothing of real value. In some cases they were selling synthetic as natural. In other cases they were selling low quality gems that had been treated, waxed and in some cases colored. Scam. I bought some stuff from a legitimate dealer. The prices were cheap but when I cleaned a few of the pieces, the color and wax came off. This kind of stuff goes on all the time - even in the legitimate businesses but doesn't mean it is okay. Scam. Some dealers sell sterling silver and several of the dealers get their silver from one manufacturer. That manufacturer can cut anybody's price. They have what looks like high quality merchandise but they are known for copying other people's jewelry and useing a lower grade of silver so as to make a greater profit. Scam. If all that true, then yes, scam. But that is NOT the main complain of the "Thai gem scam." This is why it is impossible to shut down. People buy legitimate semi-precious stones. The stores are certified and so are the stones. The problem is that they "pay too much." That's it. NOT a scam. Cheers, SD Most consumers are not aware of the scams. I bought a digital scale in Bangkok and was surprised my scale and all the other scales in the store were seller scales. I bought calibration weights and got the scale to be 'zeroed' out. That is a scam. Some of the dealers have a ceiling fan or ventilation duct work over their scale. They zero the scale while leaning over the scale. Once the scale is zeroed out, they put the item on the scale and back away from the scale. What the customer buys is the extra few grams the scale was off to begin with, the weight of the air blowing down on the scale, and the weight of the item. That is a scam. Selling symthetic as real. Big scam. Selling colored and waxed stones. scam. Selling items without full disclosure. For example, on the internet they sell Russian diamonds with papers at a very cheap price. What they forget to tell you is the Russian diamonds are not diamonds and the stone is softer then a diamond. scam. Producing documents of the authenticity of the item but in most questions, the origin of the documents and the name of the appraiser are highly questionable. scam. The base metal (gold/silver/platinum, etc) is not what is purchased. How is the farang going to know if the 18K ring has only 14K gold? Same goes for silver, etc. scam. The reason the gem scams work is that they feed on tourist who are not going to stay around and make sure these charcters are brought to justice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soongmak Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 If you buy a used car in your home town, do you believe *everything* the sales guy says? Of course not. You vet the car with your own mechanic. This is NO different. Oh dear, ignorant on the subject AND stubborn, a fatal combination in my book. Now I know what constitutes fair business in your mind, I sure as hell won't be buying from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 If you buy a used car in your home town' date=' do you believe *everything* the sales guy says? Of course not. You vet the car with your own mechanic. This is NO different. [/quote'] Oh dear, ignorant on the subject AND stubborn, a fatal combination in my book. Now I know what constitutes fair business in your mind, I sure as hell won't be buying from you. He he, but I thought the same. :content: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Toad Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 The more I hear and read it seems KP employees are probable at the bottom of this. Pick duty free and pay and then find another item has been added (to the semi sealed bag) or an item has not been charged for. Typically you buy a cartoon of cigs and U get 2. U think special offer but................ Answer is do not buy anything in duty free. It seems the scam was originally aimed at local Asians - but has now been extended to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 If you buy a used car in your home town' date=' do you believe *everything* the sales guy says? Of course not. You vet the car with your own mechanic. This is NO different. [/quote'] Oh dear, ignorant on the subject AND stubborn, a fatal combination in my book. Now I know what constitutes fair business in your mind, I sure as hell won't be buying from you. He he, but I thought the same. :content: Up to you Pollyanna. Good luck with your optimism. Funny how I own a very successful biz in Asia, with very happy customers who's repeat biz keeps me in biz. And y'all are tourists. But whatever. And if y'all did not get it, that's a very subtle FUCK YOU! for confusing my biz with stupid people. Cheers, SD -- obviously doesn't know shit and wonders why he bothers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 If you buy a used car in your home town' date=' do you believe *everything* the sales guy says? Of course not. You vet the car with your own mechanic. This is NO different. [/quote'] Oh dear, ignorant on the subject AND stubborn, a fatal combination in my book. Now I know what constitutes fair business in your mind, I sure as hell won't be buying from you. He he, but I thought the same. :content: Up to you Pollyanna. Good luck with your optimism. Funny how I own a very successful biz in Asia, with very happy customers who's repeat biz keeps me in biz. And y'all are tourists. But whatever. Cheers, SD -- obviously doesn't know shit and wonders why he bothers... So I guess, you don't use those sales tactics you support in this thread like obviously false claims and lies, touts who pretend to be local authorities, fake or extremely overpriced items to keep your business running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 It is always up to the buyer to determine if what I (or ANYONE else sells) is appropriate for their consumption. It is that simple. [color:red]Why is this so hard?????????????????[/color] Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 It is always up to the buyer to determine if what I (or ANYONE else sells) is appropriate for their consumption. It is that simple. [color:red]Why is this so hard?????????????????[/color] Cheers, SD I guess people are having a hard time that you would not consider the gem scam a scam. When a biz uses, 1) Shills to pretend to be satisfied customers. 2) Fake documents of certification. 3) Claim to be Thai government run biz. 4) A worthless 100% money back guarantee. 5) Misrepresent the quality of the product. it is a scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooNoi Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 What SD is not getting is that if people pay too much for an item or service that they receive, that's fine... that's their fault. But they're happy with the price and they are receiving the actual AUTHENTIC good or service that they have paid for - whatever the price. A scam (in this case a gem scam) is when the product or service being offered is NOT a true representation of the good or service being offered. Therefore they are not receiving the true and actual good or service that they paid for. (I'm talking about the scam when they receive coloured glass or fake stones - not the real stones at an over-inflated price). If they receive the actual good or service they have paid for, then up to them what they pay. If they receive something that is NOT the actual good or service that has been promoted, and has been sold to them using means of deception, then it's a con or a scam. Take your pick on the terminology. Selling a genuine good or service for an inflated price is very different to selling something that is mis-represented and sold by deception, lies and cons. At least the punter is getting the thing that they paid for - even if the price is over-the-top. Yes, I agree that people who buy gems when they don't know what they're doing are greedy and deserve all the grief that comes with it. And to be honest, most people who get scammed probably should know better as well, but by the definition of the word, they got scammed. Let me give you an example. If I went to a bar, (let's say in Vietnam coz we ALL know this would never happen in Thailand ), and I went with a bar girl there. BG's there generally want the payment upfront before the deed. Let's say I paid her when we got to the room, then when I was in the shower she slipped out the door and fucked off with the money I had paid her without putting out. Is that me being scammed?? Yes it is - well and truly. She did not provide the agreed service that she represented to me during her sales pitch and that I agree to in good faith. Is it my fault? No, it is not. (And don't tell me I should have paid her after the event because, as we know, in most countries where people P4P, the usual deal is paying beforehand, not same same as in LOS - I'm just using this as an example that has come into my head right now). I think it's sad that you think that everyone who gets scammed deserves it for being stupid and naive. Seems kind of harsh to me. Are you saying, SD, that you have NEVER been unfairly scammed in all your travels in the world and thought "that was in no way my fault and that was not fair!" We all can't be experts in every corner of the world and know the ins-and-outs and pitfalls of every place we travel to, can we now? I know you're a highly intelligent and switched-on guy, SD... why can't you see the above?? Pretty simple to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 The "Thai Gen Scam:" People get gems. They pay too much, tho' they get real gems. They are pissed off cuz they find out they "pay too much." That's it. NO SCAM People get what they are told they get. Sorry if you think this is a scam. You are stupid if you do. It is that simple. Perhaps people should understand the problem before they comment. This is my last comment on this subject because the stupidity hurts me. Carry on, talk all the smack you want about me, I won't be back to this thread... Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.