Fake 1000 baht bank notes

[Cennn3]

Counterfeit banknotes creating alarm

 

By: POST REPORTERS

Published: 23/12/2008 at 12:00 AM

 

The public can bring charges against shops that refuse to accept 1,000 baht banknotes for fear they might be counterfeit, police say.

 

Deputy Metropolitan Police chief Pol Maj-Gen Amnuay Nimmano said yesterday people who are issued counterfeit notes by ATMs can also file charges against banks with police.

 

Banknote forgers would be liable to life imprisonment and people who knowingly pass fake notes face one to 15 years in jail, he said.

 

The police chief spoke out after reports that many vendors were refusing to accept 1,000 baht banknotes from customers and that people were choosing to withdraw less than 1,000 baht from ATMs at each transaction, to avoid receiving 1,000 baht banknotes.

 

Twatchai Yongkittikul, secretary-general of the Thai Bankers Association (TBA), said the public should not panic about fake notes.

 

"There is no problem about receiving counterfeits from ATMs," he said. "All banks check banknotes before they put them in ATMs."

 

He said even though the number of forgeries had increased, there were still relatively few in circulation.

 

The TBA would monitor the situation and call a meeting with its members to develop a strategy if the problem became any worse, he said.

 

Bangkok Bank, the country's largest bank, said it was training counter tellers to check banknotes carefully, especially 1,000 baht notes. The number of counterfeits increased significantly over the festive season.

 

Giant retail stores report finding fake notes in many provinces. If there is doubt about a note's authenticity, clerks ask customers to pay with another note. Machines to check watermarks on notes have also been installed in toll booths.

 

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Preawpan Damapong has ordered police to track down the forgers and distributors.

 

In Nakhon Si Thammarat, counterfeiters were arrested in two districts with phoney 500 and 1,000 baht notes.

 

In Nan's Chiang Klang district, Nim Ganpai, 50, went to make a 4,500 baht deposit to pay her bank loan, only to be told one of the 1,000 notes was counterfeit.

 

She said she received the note when she sold a cow two months ago.

 

In Tak, 1,000 baht notes were not being accepted at the border market in Mae Sot district after counterfeits were found. The fake notes were so similar to real notes that some were said to have been deposited at banks.

 

"I have changed my payment method and now use an ATM to transfer funds, or a cheque. It is so hard to check if the notes are real," said Tak chamber of commerce president Suchart Treeratwattana.

 

In Nakhon Ratchasima, Namphon Songklang, 40, a butcher at Mae Kim Heng market in Muang district, said when customers pay in 1,000 baht notes, vendors get together to help inspect them. If the note is deemed to be fake, they detain the person and alert police. Some vendors had earlier phoney notes.

 

In Trat, customs officers are watching for fakes, but because of staff constraints search people only if they look suspicious.

 

People are allowed to take no more than 200,000 baht out of the country at a time.

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/8533...-creating-alarm

 

Edited December 22, 2008 by Cennn3

[blett1111]

That could create alot of problems for un suspecting farangs......If you get a fake 1 and try and pass it they call the cops and guess who either pays alot more real notes OR goes down......poor old khun farang.....I've heard stories before of fake notes coming out of ATM's . There is no way they can check all the notes in them.

[Chris50]

Watch out for the note switch scam. You hand them a note, then they hand it back and say sorry it's fake- you take a close look and in fact it does look shady so hand them another. They sometimes go through three or four notes this way. What they do is swap out your good note, for a fake note and give it back to you. Happens a LOT in Asia as foreigners are unfamiliar with the local money, carry large notes and make large purchases. People are so eager to prove they are honest and did not know they immediately hand over a second note. Make sure you fold a corner of the note over discreetly before you hand it to them so they can't swap it out on you.

NICE one Katandmilo good piece off information on the fold down corner.THANK YOU

cheers chris

[dudebrah]

Watch out for the note switch scam. You hand them a note, then they hand it back and say sorry it's fake- you take a close look and in fact it does look shady so hand them another. They sometimes go through three or four notes this way. What they do is swap out your good note, for a fake note and give it back to you. Happens a LOT in Asia as foreigners are unfamiliar with the local money, carry large notes and make large purchases. People are so eager to prove they are honest and did not know they immediately hand over a second note. Make sure you fold a corner of the note over discreetly before you hand it to them so they can't swap it out on you.

 

Taxi Drivers in China are particularly bad for this , If possible I exit the cab Before paying that way they are less likely to mess around as they will be weary of you simply walking away

 

I,m not sure if thai taxi drivers would dare to pull the same stunt

[whitespider - RIP]

This problem is on the increase but affects Thai far more - simply more THAI lol.

 

 

Watch out for the note switch scam. You hand them a note, then they hand it back and say sorry it's fake- you take a close look and in fact it does look shady so hand them another. They sometimes go through three or four notes this way. What they do is swap out your good note, for a fake note and give it back to you. Happens a LOT in Asia as foreigners are unfamiliar with the local money, carry large notes and make large purchases. People are so eager to prove they are honest and did not know they immediately hand over a second note. Make sure you fold a corner of the note over discreetly before you hand it to them so they can't swap it out on you.

 

Good advice

 

Another idea is to carry 500's. If you get cash from a bank, or exchange kiosk, ASK for 500's, if an ATM churns out 1000's only then go into a bank and change them. Not only does this help with the fake issue but also avoids the scowls when you pay a 70 baht bin with a 1000 note. As far as I am aware there is not an issue with 500s as of this time.

 

As for ATMs giving fakes, I think this is unlikely although possible. If you do worry about this then go into a bank to get your money.