'Black Money' Photo Album Above
PHUKET police have warned of the likelihood of more ''black money greenback'' frauds after two men from Cameroon became the second pair to be charged over the scam this year.
The sleight-of-hand involves con artists persuading their gullible prey that chemicals can create genuine US bills from plain paper or remove a black chemical dye from out-of-circulation $100 bills.
Phuket resident Somkun Boonkla, of Rawai, told Patong police that she had paid 27,000 baht to learn how to become the beneficiary of the technique behind the get-rich-quick scheme.
But on Thursday, police said, Khun Somkun because suspicious when Philippe Nkwemetchon, 33, and Valentin Prince Loic Koum, 26, asked for an additional 6000 baht.
An undercover policeman posing as her boyfriend went with Khun Somkun to visit the Cameroon pair at their room in Nanoi Soi 8, Patong, where the men allegedly displayed their party trick and were arrested. Police surrounded the building, just in case.
Colonel Arayapan Pukbuakao, who heads Kathu Police Station which oversees Patong, said at a media presentation yesterday that more Cameroon scamsters could be expected. Both men travelled to Thailand on short-term visas.
The men were presented to the media yesterday with Australian Jenna Marie Keys, who has been charged with insurance fraud, and Frenchman Chemsdine Cabibi, 22, who has been arrested on Phuket for an ATM fraud allegedly committed on Samui.
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Shouldn't they arrest her to for attempting to counterfeit? Or for being so gullible and greedy? I say let the Cameroonians free so they can teach some people the old adage... a fool and his/her money are soon...
Posted by Vfaye on August 21, 2010 10:03
Editor Comment:
If people could be arrested for being gullible, most of us would be on the inside. Greedy? Probably even more.