Just Fell Victim to a Scam in Istanbul -- God Do I feel Like an Idiot!
#17
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Originally Posted by sadiqhassan
I don't want to sound really stupid (though I probably am ) but I don't understand exactly what the scam was. What was the role of the friendly Iranian person?
Con-artist takes foreign visitor to a highly overpriced place and incurrs expensive purchases (or baits expensive purchases) whose costs are unparalleled even vis-a-vis the most expensive legitimate restaurants in the world.
Mark-up on the items is more than 100x retail price.
That is, the "friendly Iranian" was the con-artist trying to draw a foreigner into a trap, an egregiously overpriced trap.
#18
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I was solicited for this scam countless times in Istanbul beware of good looking russian looking guyswho speak great english...don't go with them!! There approach was to usually ask me the time in turkish, compliment me on "looking turkish" and "fitting in" then suggesting drinks at a really epensive club. This usually happened in Beygalou/Taksim.
Last edited by gradvmedusa; Oct 8, 2006 at 11:23 pm Reason: I will not post to flyertalk after five scotches!
#19
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Originally Posted by Snoopy
I would be interested to know whether anyone here has experience disputing such charges with the CC company? I can't imagine they would make it easy...
#20
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Originally Posted by sadiqhassan
I don't want to sound really stupid (though I probably am ) but I don't understand exactly what the scam was. What was the role of the friendly Iranian person?
#21
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In Hong Kong, a purchase I made on a Bank of America Visa card that was HK$200 was actually fraudulently charged to me as HK$2000. At the time I didn't notice it, but when I did a phone call to BofA got it all straightened out.
They (meaning BofA) were courteous and prompt and I was quite pleased. I remain their customer to the present day.
They (meaning BofA) were courteous and prompt and I was quite pleased. I remain their customer to the present day.
#22
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
I'm interested to know the same thing. Disputing the charge minutes after the charge is probably best. That said, there's no guarantee that the credit card company would back the customer. For example, there is some highly-publicized situation that happened with a NYC strip club customer who claimed they had been fleeced, but the strip club claimed that the customer had actually tipped the huge amounts charged and that state of inebriation was not the issue.
I am curious about one thing thoughwhy did you feel a need to converse with this guy just because he was Iranian?
#23
Join Date: Jul 2003
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I very much appreciate the OP.
I felt SO stupid after being duped for 50 euro in madrid last year for this acquaintances' "mother's best box seat" for Opera that evening.
Key points:
Foreigner begins to take you to places and disorients you from your location
They begin to pay for food/drink/other items
Things spiral out of control and you are forced to make bad decisions.
Glad the OP is safe.
I felt SO stupid after being duped for 50 euro in madrid last year for this acquaintances' "mother's best box seat" for Opera that evening.
Key points:
Foreigner begins to take you to places and disorients you from your location
They begin to pay for food/drink/other items
Things spiral out of control and you are forced to make bad decisions.
Glad the OP is safe.
#24
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Originally Posted by jaimemayo
Thanks for sharing your story with us. It will make us all more vigalent. This type of scam is common everywhere, I think. I had the beginning of this trick tried on me in both Bangkok and Rio de Janeiro. I just walked away because I had heard of this happening to males walking alone before.
I am curious about one thing thoughwhy did you feel a need to converse with this guy just because he was Iranian?
I am curious about one thing thoughwhy did you feel a need to converse with this guy just because he was Iranian?
Even random people I've met are now included amongst my friends. Because of that, I think the important things are not to let something like this to jade you -- even while internalizing the lessons.
#26
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Originally Posted by sadiqhassan
I don't want to sound really stupid (though I probably am ) but I don't understand exactly what the scam was. What was the role of the friendly Iranian person?
GUWonder and PTravel have explained the role of the Iranian (or whatever he was) rather well, he's the reason you enter the club in the first place. It's a more elaborate version of touting, and you can be sure that just like any common tout, he will get a commission for bringing PresRDC into the club to get fleeced.
There are variations on this scam all over the place - Paris (dodgy Club near Place Pigalle, happened to an old school friend), Mexico City (happened to me at a dodgy place in the Zona Rosa), Beijing (the tea scam, happened to a colleague), Bangkok (the Poker an Gem scams, see the Lonely Planet), etc.
It can be great talking to people, and it's usually very interesting, but when they start telling you about this great shop they know, it's usually a good time to bail out. Also, while I know that there are people who hang around places frequented by tourists in the hopes that they can practice a foreign language they're learning, I am always very, very wary of people who try to chat me up with that line. Nine times out of ten, they're touts.
#27
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You let another man buy you dinner and dessert??? Weird. To me, moral of the story is stay away from quasi-third world countries. I'll still to travelling in the west. At least you're only out $300. You should still chat with VISA about it. Maybe they can pull their credit card account.
#28
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Originally Posted by thegeneral
You let another man buy you dinner and dessert??? Weird. To me, moral of the story is stay away from quasi-third world countries. I'll still to travelling in the west. At least you're only out $300. You should still chat with VISA about it. Maybe they can pull their credit card account.
Cheers
howie
#29
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Originally Posted by thegeneral
You let another man buy you dinner and dessert??? Weird. To me, moral of the story is stay away from quasi-third world countries. I'll still to travelling in the west. At least you're only out $300. You should still chat with VISA about it. Maybe they can pull their credit card account.
#30
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Originally Posted by thegeneral
You let another man buy you dinner and dessert??? Weird. To me, moral of the story is stay away from quasi-third world countries. I'll still to travelling in the west. At least you're only out $300. You should still chat with VISA about it. Maybe they can pull their credit card account.
I'd imagine the only reason you don't really hear about it in the US is because it will mainly be happening to all those dang furriners.