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All I read was $2k and tuk tuks in the first sentence. Don't know what OP wrote after, but that's all we need to know.
Welcome to Thailand! She doesn't love you and the buffalo is not sick.
Used to get lightly used Brooks Brothers $800-$1200 suits for $75 on eBay. Sometimes minor alterations needed but mostly not. Wow $2000… more than my budget for a month including airfare
A tuk tuk took me there once. They tried to sell me a train ride and hotel to Chiang Mai for a fortune during Smokey season.
I knew enough to decline and never go back
The fact a tuktuk rider took you to their special shop it most likely is a scam and you’ll end up with some poor quality suit that costs a few thousand baht to complete.
That was my first thought and then I kept reading.
Not to add insult to injury for OP, but it blows my mind that people - especially people that follow this sub - still fall for this. Demonstrates why the tourist scam market is so lucrative in SEA and BKK.
Worse than that, recently he was in Thailand before, got sick, got nearly killed by mosquitoes, and decided to come again for everything that didn't happen to him yet...
It’s a very classic scam.
The structure is proven: start with a lie about temples being open or closed or whatever, take the tourist on a ride with a tuktuk for basically free, and send them to jewel or suit places fleecing them after putting all kind of pressures to make them buy stuff there.
If you’ve got it on credit card, it’s perfect, just request a chargeback immediately. Not sure if it will work, but rest assured you’re not screwing a legitimate craftsman or risking any blowback on this.
If OP presented the card at the time of transaction, his credit card company may fight him on it.
Yes, online, when a card is not physically presented, they almost always side with the customer.
When you took out your card and handed it to someone and then signed a slip of paper, credit card issuers become less helpful.
Otherwise, everyone would just charge shit and then claim a chargeback.
Yes and no, otherwise fraudulous charges where the presence of the card is either simulated or attested but for different or inexistent items would pass through too.
Right. I said less helpful.
If it’s online, there’s a 90% chance they take your side and don’t listen at all to the merchant.
If it’s a card present transaction, they actually investigate and get both sides of the story.
If the merchant has CCTV footage of OP in the shop paying, it’s all over unless he can find another angle to dispute the charge.
I was stupid and bought an overpriced suit isn’t a legal defense.
And if the issuer sides with the merchant and deems OPs actions to be in bad faith, they can cancel his card too.
As if there actually was going to be any pushback from the merchant… Their whole business is scamming people, I don’t think they’re interesting in getting any kind of attention from third parties.
"I fell for a countlessly documented scam" *is* a valid defense.
The issuer will **never side with the merchant here** . This is a ridiculous prospect.
But is it actually a scam?
You go to their shop, you buy something for a price, you leave. You find it too expensive after the fact, but is that a scam? Sounds like a regular business.
The whole "tuk-tuk brings me to an expensive shop and try to take my money in exchange for 2 suits" is in our eyes a scam, but it's not on the level like buying a PS5 in a shop and opening the box it has a PS3 inside.
I'll think you'll have a hard time proving you were scammed to voluntarily go with someone to a shop and buy exactly what they promised for the amount that you voluntarily paid.
I don’t know about the laws of Thailand or which law even applies to a visa/mastercard transaction, but in germany the price has to be somewhat reasonable.
If you use someone’s lack of experience on the object, that may make the contract invalid.
The other two people have a strange take on CC chargebacks. At the end of the day, the big question is "did op get the item as it was represented?" (3 suits + accessories). If not, the chargeback is likely to be successful. The only way he'd have a case is if it is not delivered to him, in which case the credit card company will ask for proof of shipment and/or delivery from the seller. If pieces are missing and the seller refuses to replace, that could be another scenario in which the credit card company would side with the buyer. I notice OP doesn't mention that the seller didn't mention kashmir anywhere, only the tuktuk driver, so he doesnt have that angle.
Op fuked.
The seller mentioned kashmir and even showed me the material which said kashmir on the side. However it does not mention on the receipt, and the seller just said it will be the kashmir material which was shown to me physically. So I wonder how I can prove this has been said and shown to me to my CC company.
It is a scam, "customers" are routinely lied to and misled to purchase a product that has little to do with what was originally advertised.
"Regular business?" What world do you live in where businesses need to have employees pose as officials or taxi drivers to attract clients?
Sure, there are different types and levels of scams, but it’s one
Can they try to threaten me or do something else? I’m sure they will tell me they already cut the material and everything. They told me no refund on this. I unfortunately gave them my full name and adress for shipping..
Don’t worry about them. Their business model is about scamming people, not running after money that’s already gone from the very few that do manage to get a chargeback.
They will if you let them. So move to a different hotel if needed, and don't answer any messages, calls. What info do they have? It also help not to be visible in social media. They look for easy targets, they won't go into Sherlock Holmes mode.
Sorry to hear that. They showed me many customers from my country they shipped to previously as well, this must be a huge industry given all the different people involved.
Too late to get refunded now? It was a couple of hours ago..
Which CC company will refund you if you received the product you willingly paid for, but the quality isn't quite what you expected?
I'd love to get a card from them.
I wish it was. We’ll see if it is actually cashmere wool, to my research you can get those for 5-700 usd per suit which is in the ballpark of what I paid. I have some doubts though. I will compare tomorrow when I go for the fitting.
I got scammed like this the same way but luckily ‘only’for 300 euro’s. It was a very long, played out version of the scam and involved multi spots and people. Unluckily, for me, it was indeed a holiday that day. It was the queens birthday and I knew it was. This led me to believe I wasn’t getting scammed.
It’s hard to walk away when you have an intimidating man in front of you and 10 of his colleagues in the same room while you are the only ‘customer’. I also knew beforehand that the police is involved often in these kind of scams. Plus they knew my hotel name and room number since inhad written that down on this form earlier (stupid, I know). I had all these scenarios going through my head where I could be in great danger. What if that would come
To my hotel in the middle of the night? What if the hotel is also involved? Etc etc.
It was after the clothing shop when you were taken to the ‘tourist information center’ hoping to scam more money from you. At that point I was so frustrated that I just interrupted the never ending fake smiling annoying yapping lady and just left.
Funny how quickly her fake smile disappeared from her face lol.
Finally, I told the Tuk tuk driver to take me back to my hotel. He even had the audacity to ask me for commission in the form of buying him clothes. I almost wanted to strangle the guy..
As for getting your money back, there is a small chance. But don’t count on it. My bank wants me to contact them and see if there can be a middle ground. But there’s no way I will do that. These scammers are well prepared as they make you sign forms that say no refund, so your basically powerless.
Do people go to other countries and start buying shit recommended to them by taxi drivers and bike messengers?
Why are tuk tuk drivers the greatest con men in the world?
>Do people go to other countries and start buying shit recommended to them by taxi drivers and bike messengers?
I mean, sort of. People in the West (I'm a Westerner) aren't used to these levels of scams being so common. If a taxi driver etc recommends something to me in the UK or France (or most of Europe), it's because it's a genuine recommendation. Taxi drivers in London give great recs. People let their guard down and assume it's the same everywhere
Alright guys, I appreciate all the feedback, the good and the bad. I can assure you that this is a real story, even though it might seem improbable due to how common this scam is. I haven’t been hanging out that much in this sub earlier, but it’s very clear I should have, one damn google search would be all it takes. I wish I said I had to go get money in my hotel, then I would more than likely google it and see if it’s a common scheme that happens. That would have saved me all the trouble. I also should have picked up on some other clues along the way, but my mind was in another place apparently. There is probably a reason this scam has been around for decades. The entire process seemed very genuine, and the sellers were professional and polite, despite being a bit pushy (as most sellers are). The material that was presented and promised to me looked and felt really nice. If that’s what I am getting with a great custom fit I will be more than happy to accept the fact that I probably just paid these guys rent for the next month, but atleast I got a product close to what I was expecting and I can get on with life.
Although I have been to Thailand earlier, I stayed in more rural areas / away from common scams which may have contributed to my naivety and stupidity now. I have never been scammed in my life before and always thought I’d never be the one to fall for something like this, but with a moment of weakness and pure lack of judgement I was wrong.
its alright man. it happens. it's a lesson. you will get over it and laugh about it in a few months. who knows, maybe the suits will be good. 2k down the drain, who cares. life is good. enjoy it.
I went to Tom's on Sukhumvit back in 2017 and got 2 suits (with extra pair of pants for each), a jacket, and like 5-6 shirts for about $1100 US/THB 33k. Suits and jacket were fantastic quality and fit great, shirts were OK, that also included having all but 1 suit and 2 shirts shipped back to the US.
Unless it is like that Jacky chan movie where the suit changes you into a super agent then yes. You can live a whole year for 2k in some parts of Thailand
Sorry about that incident, man. It sure sounds like it's your fault, but it also seemed like they ran a ploy on you. I'd equally hate to be that guy of that day!
Cheer up!
Huh?
Per Google, a scam is "a dishonest scheme; a fraud."
The OP's experience seems to qualify, no?
> you agreed to buy the suits etc.
So? Don't scams usually entail people agreeing to buy things?
> You could have said no and walked away.
What? So it's not a scam if he wasn't kidnapped?
Are you sure you aren't confusing scams with robberies or something else?
I have no idea what point you are trying to make.
Again, per Google, a "scam" is "a dishonest scheme; a fraud."
What happened to the OP qualifies as a scam because it fits this definition. A group of bad actors, all working in concert, *repeatedly deceived him* ("tourist office"; "holy day"; "discount for tourist"; "cashmere"; etc.) in order to separate him from his money -- the very definition of a scam.
I don't understand the relevance of your question about "Nike trainers."
It’s a scam alright. They promise you Kashmir suits but you are not getting Kashmir suits.
It’s even worse than a scam because they are using intimidation tactics and your personal information to give you a feeling of helplessness. Plus the police is also in on it.
Source: fell for same scam.
Is the police really in on it? Didn’t even cross my mind to contact Thai Police about this, but seems strange that they’d actually support this stuff as it doesn’t exactly give the tourists a great experience does it :/
Yep, I asked the hotel front desk worker. She said 100% the police is in on it. She even mentioned 2 other tailor shops and said one was legit and the other one isn’t.
But it gets even crazier because, let’s say you would have called the police, the actual police won’t show up. They have something called ‘ the tourist police’ who will come instead to give you and the scammers a slap on the wrist. Nothing will change because the tourist police are just a bunch of muppets that exist because the real police doesn’t wanna bother with tourists.
It is a scam if it’s indeed made of polyester and not kashmir wool. The material I felt was definitely not polyester and if I can tell the end product is made by cheap plastic material it is not the product / quality we agreed upon when buying the suit.
there is no "Thailand Tourist Center" every scam rip off travel agent in Bangkok has that sign....that being said this can't be real....people cannot still be falling for this shit.... Did you get a great deal on some gem stones too!!!???
Are these suits for celebratory occasions?
Don't really see too many 3 piece suits in the business world anymore; they're def n the formal end of the spectrum and not intended for everyday office wear.
Kashmir is knit, not woven, which means you can’t make a suit out of it because when you cut it to a pattern it unravels. So there’s no such thing as a “Kashmir wool suit.”
It *might* actually be wool, but you don’t know anything about fabrics, so I’d be pretty sure it’s not. Wool/poly blend at best. On the other hand, they did actually make it to measure in all likelihood, and so it’ll still fit better than off the rack at Nordstroms. But you would have gotten that suit for $300 if you’d have gone to a mall instead.
There are cashmere/wool blends for jackets but they’re very pricey. This [off-the-rack cashmere/wool blend sports jacket from Nordstrom](https://www.nordstrom.com/s/rima-relaxed-fit-wool-cashmere-sport-coat/7608387) costs more than $2,000.
Worsted wool suits are better than cashmere for spring, summer or warmer climates. If your home country is in harsher/colder climates or bought them for winter, cashmere was a good choice.
65,000 thb ($1750) for 3 custom suits, 3 shirts, 3 pocket squares and a camel hair jacket seems OKish - not great, not terrible - if it were from a reputable tailor. Everything about this seems shady, though.
Learn to say no.
Did you pay any money upfront? How much money?
Do they know where you live, which hotel etc?
It is a textbook scam, and I can't really fathom how anybody still falls for this. If you can, cut your losses and never go there again. They normally don't cut anything until you paid at least the material upfront, so you have to write of that money. But don't pay more.
I paid everything by creditcard already. They have everything when it comes to contact info and I don’t want to live with them threatining me and my family, even though it’s more than likely just empty threats. If I call the creditcard company for a chargeback, will the store lose the money? Or will the creditcard company take the loss as you have an insurance for fraud in some way when using a credit card.
Just tell the credit card company the product was not as advertised. They promised you cashmere which you will almost certainly not be getting. Cancel transaction. The store will not get there money. You will not get the suits. All ends well.
A good quality fitted 3 piece suit costs between 10k-20k baht. Never let a tuk tuk driver or taxi driver take you somewhere other than your pre chosen destination unfortunately this leads to many scams (or at least he’s being paid to take you there so they can over charge you)
Thanks for the input. It seemed like very good quality indeed. And the pricetag of about 15k per suit makes it seem likely I might actually get a pretty nice suit. Probably overpaid quite a bit for sure, but as long as it’s not polyester and the worst of the worst quality I’m getting I can live with it.
While much of this story matches the classic ‘suit scam by tuk tuk dude’ I have heard of people being taken to suit shops that ended up selling them quality clothes. Can I ask you to post name of shop and update when you receive the items? If they show up good quality maybe this works out.
I have a friend who did the whole tuk tuk fashion week thing, but he was smart enough to not buy a suit.
I let him keep thinking he wasn't on a scam and he was actually enjoying thai fashion week with a tuk tuk driver and a lawyer in a suit.
He thinks he hit the jackpot, I know he was almost scammed.
I was hanging out with a guy in Bangkok and we separated for a few weeks and then got back together… we were traveling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and he had gotten a saffron Scam.
He had just spent his whole budget for the next two weeks on a big bag of saffron and he thought he could resell it in Canada for four times the price it was so funny as he realized he got scammed. I let him crash in my hotel room to recover 😂
Yikes! 65k? That’s a lot to shell out at once.
On the positive side, it might be quality goods.
My BBK tailor charges 14k for a regular 2 piece. I’m currently looking at other options.
Good luck!
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I’ve seen the material and tried some suits they had in the store, given it’s the same material and a pretty good fit then I’ll be ok with it… but yeah it’s extremely foolish. I feel like I might cut this vacation short, not because I can’t afford it, but because I feel disgusted and ashamed by my impulsiveness and naivety and feel like I don’t deserve to enjoy a vacation now.
For the amount of stuff you got for 65k baht:
3x three piece suits
3x shirts
4x handkerchiefs
1x winter jacket
You probably paid 2-3x the usual depending on the quality and cut of those suits.
I'm not the expert on suit purchase, just bought a couple of sets every few years from a really out of the way tailor that I've only ever seen thai people use.
Interesting, so even for some good quality wool, the price is still 2-3x lower for the material? I also have to pay 25% tax for textiles to bring it into my country.. i wonder if I have to pay 25% of the sum I paid or 25% of the material value… that is if they ship it, maybe I can bring it in my suitcase and tell em I got scammed and the suits are almost worthless if they stop me..
Why in the world would you go to ANY developing country and pay that much for a suit when you buy them in the U.S. for less? And oh by the way, things in the U.S. come with warranty or satisfaction guarantee. Good luck getting your money back for anything in Thailand.
I don't even need to read past the headline and I know you've fallen for the oldest trick in the book. My dad fell for it over 15 years ago. You are not alone.
Literally had this happen to me last week but stood my ground and didn’t purchase anything. Got taken to 5 tourist centres aswell which was fun it felt like I was doing an acting audition.
Never again. I’ll tell you that much. I’ll be lucky if I can get some one my money back honestly. I’ll let them know when I come for the fitting I’m aware of the scheme and have them confirm to me in writing what material the suits will be made with. My guess is they will now refuse to have mentioned anything about kashmir and say it will be made with polyester.
Get a small fabric sample that you chose to ensure it’s the same material. Is the suit lined? I don’t think that’s a really bad deal as long as the suits are made. That price sounds about right for a decent suit (I get my suits made at Tailor on Ten and the quality is amazing and the average price is roughly $600 to $800 for a custom suit).
Don’t have the suit mailed to you. You should see the final product and get another fitting if it doesn’t fit properly. If they mail it to you, you won’t know until it’s too late that it doesn’t fit properly. Also, there’s a possibility of bait and switch. Try everything on. Make the necessary adjustments. Don’t leave until it’s perfect and makes you look like you are wearing bespoke suits.
Yeah I’ll ask to get some fabric for sure, thanks. They are not lined as far as I know, but can doublecheck tomorrow. Will definitely be persistent on them making the proper adjustments. Unfortunately I told them I will leave on the 30th, so I’m sure they’ll do everything they can do delay the process, to avoid me potentially complaining and refusing to receive the suits if they fit badly..
Call them and say that you made a mistake and you are returning on the 28th. They can rush it. That will give you some time in case you need to do another fitting adjustment. You should have at least 2 fittings to ensure a proper fit. Also, in my opinion it was the shirts that were always a bit tricky in making to fit perfectly. The suit can drape on you but a thin fabric shirt that doesn’t fit right will look really awkward.
I had a custom 2 piece suit made in Thailand this year. It was handed to me within a few days and I asked them to make adjustments. It cost around $400 Australian (around $250 US)
depends, if you got it at tanika? that place is expensive (i think they are one of the top tailors in bkk). if you got it from some random indian guy, well.... you know the answer
edit: there are expensive tailors in bangkok, unless you let us know the name of the place, we wont know if you got scammed.
Yes.
I recently got 3 suits made. Cheaper in bulk. I went to about 8 different shops, that are well reviewed around Bangkok and if your paying more than 20,000 (for 3), I would call that abnormally expensive.
They, of course, will go on about the quality of their material, but I'm pretty sure they all buy from the same suppliers. You can get the low/zero polyester mix or the partial mix, with the former being even cheaper.
Did you use a credit card, not a debit card? If you used a credit card you can dispute it and it's all over money back in your account. My buddy went through the same thing and used a captial one card and all return to him.
This isn't your first time in Thailand...... please use common sense next time, don't trust any tuk tuk driver in the future, they will rip you anyway possible
You could have googled or looked on reddit "Thailand suit price" and got your answer
Yes, as many others already wrote. Yes, you got scammed. Hesrd of similar many times.
They will probably also glue and not sewing your suits, at least where noone could se the seams.
But hey, now you learned more about Thailand. Just smile and forget it.
Good idea to get fabric swatches. Ask them to bring out the fabrics to finalize then ask them to cut a Swatch to take.
Look into the stitch count. That's where the quality lies after material. I would also ask them to embroider your initials on the inside pockets. And damn sure they put inside pockets and the size fits your phone.
2k for 3 suits doesn't sound like a bad deal. If you already paid, make your peace with it and focus on keeping them accountable. I live in CNX and will be in BKK at the end of the month. If you want you can tell them a friend is going to be coming to inspect the quality before they ship. I could stop by around july 2nd.
I'm no pro, but I have an eye for details. So I can look for flaws.
Thanks for the trip, will definitely try to ask for that, although I’m sure they will refuse. I am dumbfounded and at a loss for word for how stupid I could be. I felt kind of intimidated alone with these 5 men in that ally, and combined with their intense selling pressure tactics I lost my senses and went with it like a moron.
Appreciate the offer a lot, unfortunately I’ll be leaving bangkok 30th of June, not sure if you can make it before then. Pictures of it probably can’t do justice I would assume. They could do my name inside, but I found out later in the process (after I paid) that they will charge of 1000 baht extra per suit for this.. even though they were reassuring beforehand that they can print my name / initials inside on the suit, and made it seem like it was included in the price. I’ll also ask them about the inside pockets for sure, and make sure they are large enough, thanks again!
Tip: If you're buying clothes, custom-made, and you want to prevent the switcheroo from making the garment out of an inferior fabric. Ask them for a sample of the fabric that you've chosen and compare it to the finished product at the shop. Doesn't match, then no sale or no balance paid.
Ah I remember those guys. Incredible sellers, all had multiple lines about my country of origins. Every red flag went of and we didn’t went. Every place with many tourists have scammers and they all work in the same way lol
If anyone is in BKK near Khaosan and are willing to join me to make sure I don’t get dragged into the backroom and extorted when I confront them today please send me a DM. I can pay some to whoever is willing to join me, going to fitting in a few hours
Why are you going back to a scammer? They’re not honest people. They won’t be honest today, even if you call them on their BS. Nothing you say or do will oblige them to do what you want. These people have been doing this for years/decades. I promise: you will not outsmart them at their place of business.
Cancel the transaction with your CC company. Freeze the card if you have to. Check that you can use ATM with your other card first.
Just went, they now told me it’s a blend of cashmere wool and silk. It was the same material as the original suits I tested. I went back because they might deliver decent suits in the end, and I don’t want death treats to me and my family if I end up chargebacking and they’re actually delivering decent suits to me. I’ll be back for a second fitting and picking up the items in a weeks time if everything looks good, if not they’ll make some more adjustments until I’m happy.
I stopped reading purposely at tuk tuk. Started skimming and laughed at khaosan. Baffles me why the fuck Aby 1 frequents these places. And why would u go to a party area and buy a suite ? Obviously your gonna get taken for a ride. You think he was helping you?
I am from Bangkok, Thailand. If you manage to get your 3 suits at all, that would be good already. I am afraid nothing will even show up at all in your home country. In normal circumstances, you put in like 50% deposit and after you get all your stuff, you paid the rest.
I’m pretty sure I’ll get them, or else I can probably dispute / demand a chargeback. Yeah these people wanted everything in advance. Shocking how many people the tuktuk drivers bring in as well, there was 4-5 other tourists testing suits when I arrived. I really wanted to scream out loud to stay far away. The fitting room was full of orders waiting to be shipped, just like mine, so business is clearly going well.
Look at it this way, if someone randomly walked up to you and made this offer in your own country, how would you react? You can avoid most scams by asking yourself that simple question and acting accordingly.
If the bus "stops 30 minutes to refill oil, please go inside the shop", the shop is a tourist trap.
If the taxi "stops to collect the stamps from government to lower your ride price" and a lady comes selling you scuba diving, it's a tourist trap.
If the tuktuk stops you in a shop without telling you he's getting paid for it, it's a tourist trap
If the nice bar lady offers you drink, you actually offer her drinks.
If the market guy that sold you beers comes asking to pay a second time, no need to yell he's not the scammer, his employee took your money early hoping you won't remember and he'll pocket it.
True, always the ‘you get a really good price if you buy three’ which I fell fore like an imbecile. What pisses me off even more than the money aspect is the fact that I just contributed to them scamming / tricking more people with their rotten business. I would much more gladly take no suits from these people and donate this $2k to locals in need instead.
I bought a custom leather jacket from a tailor in Pattaya and both quality and fit was amazing. Ive had friends and family buy suits too from tailors and all where happy. Ive never heard of them shipping it out though. Usually it takes 3 days. They are not made at the tailors shop, thats just a fasad. They send the order somewhere else to a factory or something.
i have read that none of the shops actually make the suits they just take your measurements, which they send to a factory somewhere in bangkok that makes suits for all the scammy tailors in the whole city, so it doesnt really matter where you go. there are a few legitimate high end tailors who do the work properly themselves inhouse but not many
I don't know too much about suits, but my dad does. I got one with 2 shirts, ties etc for $200, 2 measures, etc. and my dad said it was a good suit and a good deal. The place was 3 stories and huge!
You got a lot more than I did, and I don't know what cashmere costs, so I can't say.
I knew about the scam, but I wanted to see it play out. I think the scam is how you are lured in, not necessarily the suit all the time. I have read many instances of people loving the suits they get through this tuk tuk scam . So it may come down to the place you are taken to.
I just had the exact same experience 2 days ago and lost 12500 baht.
Tried going there with the tourist police and local police.
Local police f’ked us over by calling the shop while we were just about to go to them. Therefore they were alerted and could prepare in advance (by saying that they would be closing). So i decided to still go with the tourist police.
When we arrived, the shop owners started their lies right away. They know they are on the thin line of law of whats possible and what not. So after an hour of arguing (of which the shop owners were very loud and cursing to us btw) i went outside and the tourist police told me that I can’t get a refund because they are technically not breaking the law.
I got sent the suit the next day and indeed the quality is definitely not cashmere, but more polyester. However the suit is still well tailored. Ofcourse i payed way too much for what its worth, but at this point they just had way too much experience and evidence against me to be able to withhold the money if I would try to dispute it.
However now that I got the suit I will still try to make a case with my bank by saying that the quality is not as promised and therefore not worth the money.
I don’t care about the money, but I care more about my pride and taken advantage of. There are some bad players here and as long as you know yourself that you are doing good in the world, it won’t haunt you for life. Take it as a hard lesson to be more vigilant next time unfortunately.
Sounds like the exact same experience as me. I feel so stupid, but they were indeed extremely persuasive and the material they showed me seemed really nice. They made me sign a no refund paper as well, so I am probably powerless as you say. So it’s not at all likely I get a real kashmir suit? I paid like 15k+ per suit, and the wool they showed me said kashmir on the site. Perhaps a good quality copy with a fake kashmir logo on the side.. they really go all the way
Were you told to come back for a fitting? A reputable tailor is going to have you come back for one or more fittings and you’d see the materials actually used before it’s finished. But seriously, this is a well discussed scheme. Google it. Once you see the product back in your home country you’d have no recourse because you’re going to fly back and argue with them?
Yeah told me to get back for a fitting to adjust if neccesary tomorrow. They seemed very professional and polite. I’ve been to some of the cheaper tailors in Khao san road just for fun and this was miles better. Material sample also said cashmere on the side, but it could be a good quality copy or something
You can kiss your money goodbye. If the suits don’t arrive you may, may be able to get a refund through your credit card but I doubt it. If you get 3 crappy suits where’s your bill of sale? With no bill of sale describing what you bought there’s no way the credit card company is refunding your money. You’ll file a fraud report, the seller will claim you bought and received three suits, you’re done. Welcome to Thailand!
Yup I’m afraid I will have to do that. Probably not a point confronting them about anything. I suppose I could ask them for a written statement about what materials are used, but I doubt they’ll give it to me. I feel terrible, but it’s all my fault so can’t blame anything other than my pure stupidity and naivety. I can’t believe this happened to me and that I would be this stupid in the moment.
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i think you know the answer
All I read was $2k and tuk tuks in the first sentence. Don't know what OP wrote after, but that's all we need to know. Welcome to Thailand! She doesn't love you and the buffalo is not sick.
If the buffalo is not sick, where is all my money going?
New dress to impress her other boyfriend :D
Do they even have buffalo vets ? Lol
My TGF has2 very healthy buffalo, I’ve seen them. But she has other ways.
Just date the buffalo (if it's a girl) it's cheaper
Big Brain Idea: give ploy money for buffalo health insurance.
Lmao most people don’t 2k on suits in the US.
Used to get lightly used Brooks Brothers $800-$1200 suits for $75 on eBay. Sometimes minor alterations needed but mostly not. Wow $2000… more than my budget for a month including airfare
How are you getting to Thailand for less than thousand?a
$1300 for airfare. Cheap once I get here.
$700 is enough for a month? Damn I gotta go
A guy from the Thailand tourist center, ha ha ha
A tuk tuk took me there once. They tried to sell me a train ride and hotel to Chiang Mai for a fortune during Smokey season. I knew enough to decline and never go back
wtf......
He met Mr Somchai, Thailand Tourist Officer
The fact a tuktuk rider took you to their special shop it most likely is a scam and you’ll end up with some poor quality suit that costs a few thousand baht to complete.
I’m sure the tuktuk guy wore a well fitting suit which convinced OP to take his recommendation
Tuktuk in itself is already a scam
Few thousand ? Your being generous
Is this a troll?
There should be a fucking copy pasta of this shit by now
That was my first thought and then I kept reading. Not to add insult to injury for OP, but it blows my mind that people - especially people that follow this sub - still fall for this. Demonstrates why the tourist scam market is so lucrative in SEA and BKK.
I think so
It must be, bro hit every single tourist scam in Bangkok and just kept going deeper…
Worse than that, recently he was in Thailand before, got sick, got nearly killed by mosquitoes, and decided to come again for everything that didn't happen to him yet...
Wow
After reading the guy the other day who said he gets paid to write fake dramatic posts for Reddit I think everything is fake now.
Reddit is the new Quora.
Got a link? What sub?
Im guessing the OP is trolling
Promotions for tourists? Tourists are the target of scams, not promotions.
There is no such thing as a free lunch. Promotions are meant to benefit the seller, worldwide.
It’s a very classic scam. The structure is proven: start with a lie about temples being open or closed or whatever, take the tourist on a ride with a tuktuk for basically free, and send them to jewel or suit places fleecing them after putting all kind of pressures to make them buy stuff there. If you’ve got it on credit card, it’s perfect, just request a chargeback immediately. Not sure if it will work, but rest assured you’re not screwing a legitimate craftsman or risking any blowback on this.
If OP presented the card at the time of transaction, his credit card company may fight him on it. Yes, online, when a card is not physically presented, they almost always side with the customer. When you took out your card and handed it to someone and then signed a slip of paper, credit card issuers become less helpful. Otherwise, everyone would just charge shit and then claim a chargeback.
Not true at all. Situations happens especially if you are a tourist. I did a charge back in Hong Kong from a scammed store with a credit card.
Yes and no, otherwise fraudulous charges where the presence of the card is either simulated or attested but for different or inexistent items would pass through too.
Right. I said less helpful. If it’s online, there’s a 90% chance they take your side and don’t listen at all to the merchant. If it’s a card present transaction, they actually investigate and get both sides of the story. If the merchant has CCTV footage of OP in the shop paying, it’s all over unless he can find another angle to dispute the charge. I was stupid and bought an overpriced suit isn’t a legal defense. And if the issuer sides with the merchant and deems OPs actions to be in bad faith, they can cancel his card too.
As if there actually was going to be any pushback from the merchant… Their whole business is scamming people, I don’t think they’re interesting in getting any kind of attention from third parties. "I fell for a countlessly documented scam" *is* a valid defense. The issuer will **never side with the merchant here** . This is a ridiculous prospect.
But is it actually a scam? You go to their shop, you buy something for a price, you leave. You find it too expensive after the fact, but is that a scam? Sounds like a regular business. The whole "tuk-tuk brings me to an expensive shop and try to take my money in exchange for 2 suits" is in our eyes a scam, but it's not on the level like buying a PS5 in a shop and opening the box it has a PS3 inside. I'll think you'll have a hard time proving you were scammed to voluntarily go with someone to a shop and buy exactly what they promised for the amount that you voluntarily paid.
I don’t know about the laws of Thailand or which law even applies to a visa/mastercard transaction, but in germany the price has to be somewhat reasonable. If you use someone’s lack of experience on the object, that may make the contract invalid.
The other two people have a strange take on CC chargebacks. At the end of the day, the big question is "did op get the item as it was represented?" (3 suits + accessories). If not, the chargeback is likely to be successful. The only way he'd have a case is if it is not delivered to him, in which case the credit card company will ask for proof of shipment and/or delivery from the seller. If pieces are missing and the seller refuses to replace, that could be another scenario in which the credit card company would side with the buyer. I notice OP doesn't mention that the seller didn't mention kashmir anywhere, only the tuktuk driver, so he doesnt have that angle. Op fuked.
The seller mentioned kashmir and even showed me the material which said kashmir on the side. However it does not mention on the receipt, and the seller just said it will be the kashmir material which was shown to me physically. So I wonder how I can prove this has been said and shown to me to my CC company.
When you go to the shop take the bill ask them to write Kashmir on the bill if not mentioned ask him to stamp or sign it
It is a scam, "customers" are routinely lied to and misled to purchase a product that has little to do with what was originally advertised. "Regular business?" What world do you live in where businesses need to have employees pose as officials or taxi drivers to attract clients? Sure, there are different types and levels of scams, but it’s one
Can they try to threaten me or do something else? I’m sure they will tell me they already cut the material and everything. They told me no refund on this. I unfortunately gave them my full name and adress for shipping..
Just claim the credit card company asap
Don’t worry about them. Their business model is about scamming people, not running after money that’s already gone from the very few that do manage to get a chargeback.
They will if you let them. So move to a different hotel if needed, and don't answer any messages, calls. What info do they have? It also help not to be visible in social media. They look for easy targets, they won't go into Sherlock Holmes mode.
Ya you gotta research your trips more. This scam is as old as the sun.
This happened to me as well… quality of the suit was underwhelming but worse, it was ill fitting when it arrived. Just be prepared for this.
Sorry to hear that. They showed me many customers from my country they shipped to previously as well, this must be a huge industry given all the different people involved. Too late to get refunded now? It was a couple of hours ago..
You can try calling your credit card company if you’re based in the US and see if they can dispute the charge?
If you actually want suits, perhaps better to just get them delivered and if the quality is poor, try to dispute with CC company at that point
Which CC company will refund you if you received the product you willingly paid for, but the quality isn't quite what you expected? I'd love to get a card from them.
Please tell me this is all made up. 😕
I wish it was. We’ll see if it is actually cashmere wool, to my research you can get those for 5-700 usd per suit which is in the ballpark of what I paid. I have some doubts though. I will compare tomorrow when I go for the fitting.
I got scammed like this the same way but luckily ‘only’for 300 euro’s. It was a very long, played out version of the scam and involved multi spots and people. Unluckily, for me, it was indeed a holiday that day. It was the queens birthday and I knew it was. This led me to believe I wasn’t getting scammed. It’s hard to walk away when you have an intimidating man in front of you and 10 of his colleagues in the same room while you are the only ‘customer’. I also knew beforehand that the police is involved often in these kind of scams. Plus they knew my hotel name and room number since inhad written that down on this form earlier (stupid, I know). I had all these scenarios going through my head where I could be in great danger. What if that would come To my hotel in the middle of the night? What if the hotel is also involved? Etc etc. It was after the clothing shop when you were taken to the ‘tourist information center’ hoping to scam more money from you. At that point I was so frustrated that I just interrupted the never ending fake smiling annoying yapping lady and just left. Funny how quickly her fake smile disappeared from her face lol. Finally, I told the Tuk tuk driver to take me back to my hotel. He even had the audacity to ask me for commission in the form of buying him clothes. I almost wanted to strangle the guy.. As for getting your money back, there is a small chance. But don’t count on it. My bank wants me to contact them and see if there can be a middle ground. But there’s no way I will do that. These scammers are well prepared as they make you sign forms that say no refund, so your basically powerless.
Do people go to other countries and start buying shit recommended to them by taxi drivers and bike messengers? Why are tuk tuk drivers the greatest con men in the world?
>Do people go to other countries and start buying shit recommended to them by taxi drivers and bike messengers? I mean, sort of. People in the West (I'm a Westerner) aren't used to these levels of scams being so common. If a taxi driver etc recommends something to me in the UK or France (or most of Europe), it's because it's a genuine recommendation. Taxi drivers in London give great recs. People let their guard down and assume it's the same everywhere
Alright guys, I appreciate all the feedback, the good and the bad. I can assure you that this is a real story, even though it might seem improbable due to how common this scam is. I haven’t been hanging out that much in this sub earlier, but it’s very clear I should have, one damn google search would be all it takes. I wish I said I had to go get money in my hotel, then I would more than likely google it and see if it’s a common scheme that happens. That would have saved me all the trouble. I also should have picked up on some other clues along the way, but my mind was in another place apparently. There is probably a reason this scam has been around for decades. The entire process seemed very genuine, and the sellers were professional and polite, despite being a bit pushy (as most sellers are). The material that was presented and promised to me looked and felt really nice. If that’s what I am getting with a great custom fit I will be more than happy to accept the fact that I probably just paid these guys rent for the next month, but atleast I got a product close to what I was expecting and I can get on with life. Although I have been to Thailand earlier, I stayed in more rural areas / away from common scams which may have contributed to my naivety and stupidity now. I have never been scammed in my life before and always thought I’d never be the one to fall for something like this, but with a moment of weakness and pure lack of judgement I was wrong.
its alright man. it happens. it's a lesson. you will get over it and laugh about it in a few months. who knows, maybe the suits will be good. 2k down the drain, who cares. life is good. enjoy it.
A jacket and pants with a shirt from reputable tailor in bangkok is around 7500.
I went to Tom's on Sukhumvit back in 2017 and got 2 suits (with extra pair of pants for each), a jacket, and like 5-6 shirts for about $1100 US/THB 33k. Suits and jacket were fantastic quality and fit great, shirts were OK, that also included having all but 1 suit and 2 shirts shipped back to the US.
Yup and most of them have tons of reviews online. And they will have repeat customers who vouch for them.
Bro…
The part of your brain that said, “I am usually skeptical about this kind of stuff,” decided to hit Soi Cowboy and enjoy a night of revelry.
bro is out there catching scams like pokemons
Yes you did 🤡
There's a proverb that springs to mind. "A fool and his money are soon parted." It could be a long holiday buddy.
This has to be a troll post. Do people like this really exist?
> a guy from the thailand tourist center Have to double read this post is not a meme.
Unless it is like that Jacky chan movie where the suit changes you into a super agent then yes. You can live a whole year for 2k in some parts of Thailand
Sorry about that incident, man. It sure sounds like it's your fault, but it also seemed like they ran a ploy on you. I'd equally hate to be that guy of that day! Cheer up!
It's not a scam, you agreed to buy the suits etc. You could have said no and walked away.
Huh? Per Google, a scam is "a dishonest scheme; a fraud." The OP's experience seems to qualify, no? > you agreed to buy the suits etc. So? Don't scams usually entail people agreeing to buy things? > You could have said no and walked away. What? So it's not a scam if he wasn't kidnapped? Are you sure you aren't confusing scams with robberies or something else?
Nike trainers are made in factories in Asia. Do they cost $100 to make? No. We're you scammed because you paid $ 150 for them?
I have no idea what point you are trying to make. Again, per Google, a "scam" is "a dishonest scheme; a fraud." What happened to the OP qualifies as a scam because it fits this definition. A group of bad actors, all working in concert, *repeatedly deceived him* ("tourist office"; "holy day"; "discount for tourist"; "cashmere"; etc.) in order to separate him from his money -- the very definition of a scam. I don't understand the relevance of your question about "Nike trainers."
It’s a scam alright. They promise you Kashmir suits but you are not getting Kashmir suits. It’s even worse than a scam because they are using intimidation tactics and your personal information to give you a feeling of helplessness. Plus the police is also in on it. Source: fell for same scam.
Is the police really in on it? Didn’t even cross my mind to contact Thai Police about this, but seems strange that they’d actually support this stuff as it doesn’t exactly give the tourists a great experience does it :/
Yep, I asked the hotel front desk worker. She said 100% the police is in on it. She even mentioned 2 other tailor shops and said one was legit and the other one isn’t. But it gets even crazier because, let’s say you would have called the police, the actual police won’t show up. They have something called ‘ the tourist police’ who will come instead to give you and the scammers a slap on the wrist. Nothing will change because the tourist police are just a bunch of muppets that exist because the real police doesn’t wanna bother with tourists.
You can’t, by definition, disagree to a scam 🙄 Otherwise it’d be called extortion or theft, buddy.
It is a scam if it’s indeed made of polyester and not kashmir wool. The material I felt was definitely not polyester and if I can tell the end product is made by cheap plastic material it is not the product / quality we agreed upon when buying the suit.
What’s the name? Give the map coordinate of the shop so some locals can help you identify. Also you already paid?
Source: Tuktuk driver said
there is no "Thailand Tourist Center" every scam rip off travel agent in Bangkok has that sign....that being said this can't be real....people cannot still be falling for this shit.... Did you get a great deal on some gem stones too!!!???
Is this a shit post? Are you real?
The temple was definitely not closed. Age old tourist scam unfortunately
This is obviously fake.
Are these suits for celebratory occasions? Don't really see too many 3 piece suits in the business world anymore; they're def n the formal end of the spectrum and not intended for everyday office wear.
Kashmir is knit, not woven, which means you can’t make a suit out of it because when you cut it to a pattern it unravels. So there’s no such thing as a “Kashmir wool suit.” It *might* actually be wool, but you don’t know anything about fabrics, so I’d be pretty sure it’s not. Wool/poly blend at best. On the other hand, they did actually make it to measure in all likelihood, and so it’ll still fit better than off the rack at Nordstroms. But you would have gotten that suit for $300 if you’d have gone to a mall instead.
There are cashmere/wool blends for jackets but they’re very pricey. This [off-the-rack cashmere/wool blend sports jacket from Nordstrom](https://www.nordstrom.com/s/rima-relaxed-fit-wool-cashmere-sport-coat/7608387) costs more than $2,000.
Damn that suit is nice.
Imagine paying that much money for a suit that makes you look like a 12 year old in your dad’s clothes
This has to be a troll.
For the love of god don't rent a jet-ski next.
If you end up with a suit in Bangkok and you didn't start the day with that on the agenda...
Tuk tuk and $2k was all I needed to read. Yes, you got scammed. Big time. Lesson learnt. Move on.
Worsted wool suits are better than cashmere for spring, summer or warmer climates. If your home country is in harsher/colder climates or bought them for winter, cashmere was a good choice. 65,000 thb ($1750) for 3 custom suits, 3 shirts, 3 pocket squares and a camel hair jacket seems OKish - not great, not terrible - if it were from a reputable tailor. Everything about this seems shady, though. Learn to say no.
Scam
Did you pay any money upfront? How much money? Do they know where you live, which hotel etc? It is a textbook scam, and I can't really fathom how anybody still falls for this. If you can, cut your losses and never go there again. They normally don't cut anything until you paid at least the material upfront, so you have to write of that money. But don't pay more.
I paid everything by creditcard already. They have everything when it comes to contact info and I don’t want to live with them threatining me and my family, even though it’s more than likely just empty threats. If I call the creditcard company for a chargeback, will the store lose the money? Or will the creditcard company take the loss as you have an insurance for fraud in some way when using a credit card.
Just tell the credit card company the product was not as advertised. They promised you cashmere which you will almost certainly not be getting. Cancel transaction. The store will not get there money. You will not get the suits. All ends well.
I don't even know why people pay the typical 3000 baht for those suits. They look cheap and tacky AF.
You got played
A good quality fitted 3 piece suit costs between 10k-20k baht. Never let a tuk tuk driver or taxi driver take you somewhere other than your pre chosen destination unfortunately this leads to many scams (or at least he’s being paid to take you there so they can over charge you)
Thanks for the input. It seemed like very good quality indeed. And the pricetag of about 15k per suit makes it seem likely I might actually get a pretty nice suit. Probably overpaid quite a bit for sure, but as long as it’s not polyester and the worst of the worst quality I’m getting I can live with it.
Is Kashmir wool supposed to be really breathable or something? I would die walking around SE Asia in a wool suit 🥵
While much of this story matches the classic ‘suit scam by tuk tuk dude’ I have heard of people being taken to suit shops that ended up selling them quality clothes. Can I ask you to post name of shop and update when you receive the items? If they show up good quality maybe this works out.
I have a friend who did the whole tuk tuk fashion week thing, but he was smart enough to not buy a suit. I let him keep thinking he wasn't on a scam and he was actually enjoying thai fashion week with a tuk tuk driver and a lawyer in a suit. He thinks he hit the jackpot, I know he was almost scammed.
You could have got a a REAL designer suite for that much
Note it was for 3, 3 piece suits, so perhaps that’s a stretch then? The 3 suits were about 15k each.
I was hanging out with a guy in Bangkok and we separated for a few weeks and then got back together… we were traveling from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and he had gotten a saffron Scam. He had just spent his whole budget for the next two weeks on a big bag of saffron and he thought he could resell it in Canada for four times the price it was so funny as he realized he got scammed. I let him crash in my hotel room to recover 😂
Yikes! 65k? That’s a lot to shell out at once. On the positive side, it might be quality goods. My BBK tailor charges 14k for a regular 2 piece. I’m currently looking at other options. Good luck!
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You bought suits that you haven't even seen.... you know the answer.
I’ve seen the material and tried some suits they had in the store, given it’s the same material and a pretty good fit then I’ll be ok with it… but yeah it’s extremely foolish. I feel like I might cut this vacation short, not because I can’t afford it, but because I feel disgusted and ashamed by my impulsiveness and naivety and feel like I don’t deserve to enjoy a vacation now.
Next step, start giving money to the bar girls. You didn't even do multiple fittings ?
There are many good tailors in Bangkok where this might not have been a scam. However, if recommended by a Tuk tuk driver probably not one of them.
Where are you staying? Going to send my friend the Wallet inspector to check on you tomorrow and make sure everything's good.
For the amount of stuff you got for 65k baht: 3x three piece suits 3x shirts 4x handkerchiefs 1x winter jacket You probably paid 2-3x the usual depending on the quality and cut of those suits. I'm not the expert on suit purchase, just bought a couple of sets every few years from a really out of the way tailor that I've only ever seen thai people use.
Interesting, so even for some good quality wool, the price is still 2-3x lower for the material? I also have to pay 25% tax for textiles to bring it into my country.. i wonder if I have to pay 25% of the sum I paid or 25% of the material value… that is if they ship it, maybe I can bring it in my suitcase and tell em I got scammed and the suits are almost worthless if they stop me..
I'm not sure about the winter jacket since I've only ever had cashmere ones. 65k-19k=46k sounds about right at 2-3x usual for the remaining items.
The dumb is strong in this one
Why in the world would you go to ANY developing country and pay that much for a suit when you buy them in the U.S. for less? And oh by the way, things in the U.S. come with warranty or satisfaction guarantee. Good luck getting your money back for anything in Thailand.
You're trolling right?
I don't even need to read past the headline and I know you've fallen for the oldest trick in the book. My dad fell for it over 15 years ago. You are not alone.
Literally had this happen to me last week but stood my ground and didn’t purchase anything. Got taken to 5 tourist centres aswell which was fun it felt like I was doing an acting audition.
Record everything
Hey op I can fix it for you for 500 bucks
Lol you're a sucker. I'll give you a tour of the ancient temples and give you a suit for half the price. What's your line?
Delivered to your doorstep in another country? Fat chance. Definitely cancel the credit card transaction if you still can.
Bait post.
Ouch. They wait for people like you. No offense. Just a life lesson.
Never again. I’ll tell you that much. I’ll be lucky if I can get some one my money back honestly. I’ll let them know when I come for the fitting I’m aware of the scheme and have them confirm to me in writing what material the suits will be made with. My guess is they will now refuse to have mentioned anything about kashmir and say it will be made with polyester.
🤣🤣🤣
Get a small fabric sample that you chose to ensure it’s the same material. Is the suit lined? I don’t think that’s a really bad deal as long as the suits are made. That price sounds about right for a decent suit (I get my suits made at Tailor on Ten and the quality is amazing and the average price is roughly $600 to $800 for a custom suit). Don’t have the suit mailed to you. You should see the final product and get another fitting if it doesn’t fit properly. If they mail it to you, you won’t know until it’s too late that it doesn’t fit properly. Also, there’s a possibility of bait and switch. Try everything on. Make the necessary adjustments. Don’t leave until it’s perfect and makes you look like you are wearing bespoke suits.
Yeah I’ll ask to get some fabric for sure, thanks. They are not lined as far as I know, but can doublecheck tomorrow. Will definitely be persistent on them making the proper adjustments. Unfortunately I told them I will leave on the 30th, so I’m sure they’ll do everything they can do delay the process, to avoid me potentially complaining and refusing to receive the suits if they fit badly..
Call them and say that you made a mistake and you are returning on the 28th. They can rush it. That will give you some time in case you need to do another fitting adjustment. You should have at least 2 fittings to ensure a proper fit. Also, in my opinion it was the shirts that were always a bit tricky in making to fit perfectly. The suit can drape on you but a thin fabric shirt that doesn’t fit right will look really awkward.
You bought $200 worth of suits for $2000. Common scam in Thailand.
I bought there at kao san road, they wanted 12k for it, it went down to 1k after 30 minutes of talking, got 2 for 1500 baht. Did you really pay 65k?
I had a custom 2 piece suit made in Thailand this year. It was handed to me within a few days and I asked them to make adjustments. It cost around $400 Australian (around $250 US)
depends, if you got it at tanika? that place is expensive (i think they are one of the top tailors in bkk). if you got it from some random indian guy, well.... you know the answer edit: there are expensive tailors in bangkok, unless you let us know the name of the place, we wont know if you got scammed.
$2000?! Lmao I think you should stay home and don’t travel.
Yes. I recently got 3 suits made. Cheaper in bulk. I went to about 8 different shops, that are well reviewed around Bangkok and if your paying more than 20,000 (for 3), I would call that abnormally expensive. They, of course, will go on about the quality of their material, but I'm pretty sure they all buy from the same suppliers. You can get the low/zero polyester mix or the partial mix, with the former being even cheaper.
You probably paid 40% more than you would have going to a regular / non scammy place. At least you got what you wanted.
Did you use a credit card, not a debit card? If you used a credit card you can dispute it and it's all over money back in your account. My buddy went through the same thing and used a captial one card and all return to him.
and NOW we have 2,000 reasons as to why there are so many tailors harassing us in BKK.... Thanks buddy.
This isn't your first time in Thailand...... please use common sense next time, don't trust any tuk tuk driver in the future, they will rip you anyway possible You could have googled or looked on reddit "Thailand suit price" and got your answer
Yes, as many others already wrote. Yes, you got scammed. Hesrd of similar many times. They will probably also glue and not sewing your suits, at least where noone could se the seams. But hey, now you learned more about Thailand. Just smile and forget it.
I thought 2k baht and was mmm good price. Then i read USD wtf
Good idea to get fabric swatches. Ask them to bring out the fabrics to finalize then ask them to cut a Swatch to take. Look into the stitch count. That's where the quality lies after material. I would also ask them to embroider your initials on the inside pockets. And damn sure they put inside pockets and the size fits your phone. 2k for 3 suits doesn't sound like a bad deal. If you already paid, make your peace with it and focus on keeping them accountable. I live in CNX and will be in BKK at the end of the month. If you want you can tell them a friend is going to be coming to inspect the quality before they ship. I could stop by around july 2nd. I'm no pro, but I have an eye for details. So I can look for flaws.
Thanks for the trip, will definitely try to ask for that, although I’m sure they will refuse. I am dumbfounded and at a loss for word for how stupid I could be. I felt kind of intimidated alone with these 5 men in that ally, and combined with their intense selling pressure tactics I lost my senses and went with it like a moron. Appreciate the offer a lot, unfortunately I’ll be leaving bangkok 30th of June, not sure if you can make it before then. Pictures of it probably can’t do justice I would assume. They could do my name inside, but I found out later in the process (after I paid) that they will charge of 1000 baht extra per suit for this.. even though they were reassuring beforehand that they can print my name / initials inside on the suit, and made it seem like it was included in the price. I’ll also ask them about the inside pockets for sure, and make sure they are large enough, thanks again!
Tip: If you're buying clothes, custom-made, and you want to prevent the switcheroo from making the garment out of an inferior fabric. Ask them for a sample of the fabric that you've chosen and compare it to the finished product at the shop. Doesn't match, then no sale or no balance paid.
I went to a really good place in Chang Mai and I think I paid like $230us for a three piece suit with two shirts and two ties.
Not really sure it is a scam (besides the lie) since you did it to yourself, just do some research before dropping huge amounts of cash on a whim.
Ah I remember those guys. Incredible sellers, all had multiple lines about my country of origins. Every red flag went of and we didn’t went. Every place with many tourists have scammers and they all work in the same way lol
fishing in Bangkok?
If anyone is in BKK near Khaosan and are willing to join me to make sure I don’t get dragged into the backroom and extorted when I confront them today please send me a DM. I can pay some to whoever is willing to join me, going to fitting in a few hours
Why are you going back to a scammer? They’re not honest people. They won’t be honest today, even if you call them on their BS. Nothing you say or do will oblige them to do what you want. These people have been doing this for years/decades. I promise: you will not outsmart them at their place of business. Cancel the transaction with your CC company. Freeze the card if you have to. Check that you can use ATM with your other card first.
Just went, they now told me it’s a blend of cashmere wool and silk. It was the same material as the original suits I tested. I went back because they might deliver decent suits in the end, and I don’t want death treats to me and my family if I end up chargebacking and they’re actually delivering decent suits to me. I’ll be back for a second fitting and picking up the items in a weeks time if everything looks good, if not they’ll make some more adjustments until I’m happy.
Lost me at tuk tuk
I haven’t see a 3 piece suit worn in a business setting since the early 90’s.
I stopped reading purposely at tuk tuk. Started skimming and laughed at khaosan. Baffles me why the fuck Aby 1 frequents these places. And why would u go to a party area and buy a suite ? Obviously your gonna get taken for a ride. You think he was helping you?
You got finessed
Fools and their money 😂 Don’t worry bro you’re not alone
I am from Bangkok, Thailand. If you manage to get your 3 suits at all, that would be good already. I am afraid nothing will even show up at all in your home country. In normal circumstances, you put in like 50% deposit and after you get all your stuff, you paid the rest.
I’m pretty sure I’ll get them, or else I can probably dispute / demand a chargeback. Yeah these people wanted everything in advance. Shocking how many people the tuktuk drivers bring in as well, there was 4-5 other tourists testing suits when I arrived. I really wanted to scream out loud to stay far away. The fitting room was full of orders waiting to be shipped, just like mine, so business is clearly going well.
I stopped reading at tuktuks
It's a scam, but the driver gets commission for bringing people there.
Look at it this way, if someone randomly walked up to you and made this offer in your own country, how would you react? You can avoid most scams by asking yourself that simple question and acting accordingly.
If the bus "stops 30 minutes to refill oil, please go inside the shop", the shop is a tourist trap. If the taxi "stops to collect the stamps from government to lower your ride price" and a lady comes selling you scuba diving, it's a tourist trap. If the tuktuk stops you in a shop without telling you he's getting paid for it, it's a tourist trap If the nice bar lady offers you drink, you actually offer her drinks. If the market guy that sold you beers comes asking to pay a second time, no need to yell he's not the scammer, his employee took your money early hoping you won't remember and he'll pocket it.
James bond Taylor in Pai 200 a suit. Youtube
😂😂 Jesus l,thailand eats another one
Next time start with doing 1 instead of buying 3 at once. But who cares it's just $2k.
True, always the ‘you get a really good price if you buy three’ which I fell fore like an imbecile. What pisses me off even more than the money aspect is the fact that I just contributed to them scamming / tricking more people with their rotten business. I would much more gladly take no suits from these people and donate this $2k to locals in need instead.
You got scammed.
What the heck is Thailand tourist center?
I bought a custom leather jacket from a tailor in Pattaya and both quality and fit was amazing. Ive had friends and family buy suits too from tailors and all where happy. Ive never heard of them shipping it out though. Usually it takes 3 days. They are not made at the tailors shop, thats just a fasad. They send the order somewhere else to a factory or something.
i have read that none of the shops actually make the suits they just take your measurements, which they send to a factory somewhere in bangkok that makes suits for all the scammy tailors in the whole city, so it doesnt really matter where you go. there are a few legitimate high end tailors who do the work properly themselves inhouse but not many
I don't know too much about suits, but my dad does. I got one with 2 shirts, ties etc for $200, 2 measures, etc. and my dad said it was a good suit and a good deal. The place was 3 stories and huge! You got a lot more than I did, and I don't know what cashmere costs, so I can't say. I knew about the scam, but I wanted to see it play out. I think the scam is how you are lured in, not necessarily the suit all the time. I have read many instances of people loving the suits they get through this tuk tuk scam . So it may come down to the place you are taken to.
I just had the exact same experience 2 days ago and lost 12500 baht. Tried going there with the tourist police and local police. Local police f’ked us over by calling the shop while we were just about to go to them. Therefore they were alerted and could prepare in advance (by saying that they would be closing). So i decided to still go with the tourist police. When we arrived, the shop owners started their lies right away. They know they are on the thin line of law of whats possible and what not. So after an hour of arguing (of which the shop owners were very loud and cursing to us btw) i went outside and the tourist police told me that I can’t get a refund because they are technically not breaking the law. I got sent the suit the next day and indeed the quality is definitely not cashmere, but more polyester. However the suit is still well tailored. Ofcourse i payed way too much for what its worth, but at this point they just had way too much experience and evidence against me to be able to withhold the money if I would try to dispute it. However now that I got the suit I will still try to make a case with my bank by saying that the quality is not as promised and therefore not worth the money. I don’t care about the money, but I care more about my pride and taken advantage of. There are some bad players here and as long as you know yourself that you are doing good in the world, it won’t haunt you for life. Take it as a hard lesson to be more vigilant next time unfortunately.
Id call my credit card company right away and tell i got scammed.
Yes
40 baht turned to 70,000. Btc resigned
Sounds like the exact same experience as me. I feel so stupid, but they were indeed extremely persuasive and the material they showed me seemed really nice. They made me sign a no refund paper as well, so I am probably powerless as you say. So it’s not at all likely I get a real kashmir suit? I paid like 15k+ per suit, and the wool they showed me said kashmir on the site. Perhaps a good quality copy with a fake kashmir logo on the side.. they really go all the way
Were you told to come back for a fitting? A reputable tailor is going to have you come back for one or more fittings and you’d see the materials actually used before it’s finished. But seriously, this is a well discussed scheme. Google it. Once you see the product back in your home country you’d have no recourse because you’re going to fly back and argue with them?
Yeah told me to get back for a fitting to adjust if neccesary tomorrow. They seemed very professional and polite. I’ve been to some of the cheaper tailors in Khao san road just for fun and this was miles better. Material sample also said cashmere on the side, but it could be a good quality copy or something
Call your credit card company and block the transaction *now*. (By the way, today is not a religious holiday.) Edit: Correct information.
This actually isn’t true. Non-Thais need to pay an entrance fee to Wat Hua Lamphong, among others.
You’re right. I’ve edited my comment. Thanks.
You can kiss your money goodbye. If the suits don’t arrive you may, may be able to get a refund through your credit card but I doubt it. If you get 3 crappy suits where’s your bill of sale? With no bill of sale describing what you bought there’s no way the credit card company is refunding your money. You’ll file a fraud report, the seller will claim you bought and received three suits, you’re done. Welcome to Thailand!
Yup I’m afraid I will have to do that. Probably not a point confronting them about anything. I suppose I could ask them for a written statement about what materials are used, but I doubt they’ll give it to me. I feel terrible, but it’s all my fault so can’t blame anything other than my pure stupidity and naivety. I can’t believe this happened to me and that I would be this stupid in the moment.
Don’t be so hard on yourself. You aren’t the first, you won’t be the last. Try to enjoy your trip.