Uh Oh, I think the lads are taking over the local pub

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Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:03 pm

So I'm down to one of the local expat bars in town this evening, one owned by a guy from Southern U.S. nonetheless. And, chatting with the barmaid, seems that the place is becoming a hangout for Nigerians who we suspect are your basic scam artists

They don't drink much, take up bar space all night, and then try and pay with what we suspect are fake USD 100 bills. By the way, this is in China, so usually no one pays with USD. Apparently the lads get upset when the barmaid won't take the c-note, but we've told her to tell them "Bank of China doesn't sell beer, so we don't do currency exchange" Usually they show up with about 1000 in USD and want to exchange the whole grand U.S. Yeah, right.

Not much reason for these folks to be in town on legitimate business, guess they got run out of Guangzhou during the pre-Olympic visa crackdown. so now they're coming back to China, and picking our little town to settle in.

This should be interesting. I will definitely have to carefully watch any scam baiting activities I may endeavor.

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:34 pm

Are you in the South?
I know that here in HK we have a (little?) community of scammers, from what I know particularly concentrated in one place (which is right in the heart of the city), and I have witnessed groups of "suspicious folk" travelling with big bags which obviously are from China (I guess they just cross Lo Wu border and then shop to their delight).

Only once so far I have seen folks paying something in USD, that were two guys which, judging by their talking, I'd say are from eastern Europe, and those guys paid with USD in McDonalds.

In my opinion it's like this: You go to a country, then you also should prepare some local cash. It's not like you "suddenly end up" in Hong Kong/China/<fill in country here>. If I was a shop-/bar-/restaurant-owner I wouldn't do that kind of exchange, because you simply don't have the knowledge to make sure you're not ripped off with fakes.

Was there raiding in Ghuangzhou/Guangdong for expired visas/illegal aliens?

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 12:25 am

Yep, southern China, somewhere between Guangzhou and Hong Kong. City will remain nameless for now.

Before Beijing Olympics the PRC government changed the visa rules, and a lot of the Nigerian folks couldn't get their China visa renewed. I'm in on a family visa, my wife being Chinese, and going through the torturous process of getting a work visa.

Apparently in Guangzhou there was a large community of Nigerians from what I hear doing scams, dealing drugs, petty street crime and generally making an nuisance of them selves. I think the GZ authorities used the visa crackdown as an excuse to run the lads out. So, here they start settling in our little town. Cheaper living expenses as well, as well as better quality of life in general.

I suspect the bar owner will only put up with this so long before he throws them out. Hopefully he opens the door first, he's been known to forget to do that before he tosses someone.

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:12 am

I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark here. This grand assumption, as that's what it is. Maybe, and WHOA! call me crazy. Is it possible that it's just a group of friends hanging out at a bar. I mean you're there with your friends, what's the possibility they are there for the same reason.

It's like me saying. I walked into a shop and saw 4 young men shopping as well. They have money. They wish to purchase items. They must be scammer's.

Making gross generalisations of a group of individuals who are doing exactly the same as you is your reason to tell us about it. Could you eve spot a fake bill from 20 ft away?

Maybe they are scammer's. It's also possible. However I'm just trying to alter your perception of life in a single post. How am I doing? If you wish to respond sensibly please do so, otherwise it'll be nuked. If you respond with, 'You know you're right. I guess I better have some proof first before accusing them.' That would be a good start.

Master Baiter Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 146

I don't know. Large amounts of large denomination bills in an unusual currency for the area are suspicious.

Large denomination bills used to pay for small purchases are suspicious in general. I know that isn't conclusive, but it is a reason for checking the bills, or refusing to except them if you can’t check them.

Local shops in England do it with £50 notes (roughly the same value as a 100USD) as they are the most commonly forged and few people would realistically have a £50 unless they went and got it from the cashier as they aren't issued at atm's.

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:27 am

I have reported alot of lad bank accounts that have been from China, even though the lad is from Ghana, Nigeria, etc. I have absolutely no doubt that there is a good number of guymen in China, splitting money with the original scammer who got someone to pay.

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:50 am

My current lad maybe from Southern China/Hong Kong. His name is sounds like it could. Should I post the lad's name or might he see it?

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:07 am

^^ Does his IP point somewhere around here or is it just the name?

@NN: I know that it's not unusual for people to hang out together, but if always the same folks come in and always pay in a currency that is not the official currency of the country (and that's what I assume ChinaDawg is feeling suspicious about) then there is something strange about it. If they come in frequently one should assume that they should have had the time to visit a bank in order to exchange the money.

As I said before, if I was a business-owner I wouldn't except foreign notes, simply because, as you say, I am in no way qualified to tell if the note is fake or not.
In the end it may just be fake and then I have the problem.

Having money and wishing to use it for spending is no crime, just as you say NN, but the point here is that the money is in a foreign currency. As I said, when you go to a country then you take care that bring you money in the local currency, or you simply pay with your credit card.

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:05 am

Lots of people assume that US Dollars will be accepted almost anywhere. It certainly used to be the case that you could haggle over taxi fares and many other transactions if you were able to pay in US$ but not so much these days. Trying to exchange large wads of US$ cash in a bar in an obscure Chinese city does seem suspicious to say the least but who knows.

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:17 am

Nurse Nasty wrote:

... I'm just trying to alter your perception of life in a single post. How am I doing? ...

I used to work retail. Sad fact is that certain groups have reputations for reasons.

I found a LOT of console game that were quite professionally slit open and removed. The culprits? Kids. Maybe black, definitely kids who wouldn't/couldn't drop $60 each on console games.

Occasionally PC games and software. But clamshell cases are pretty damn easy to open with a screwdriver and the knowledge of where to pry. And they did. They also had the sense to wait for the closing shift, as they never gave a damn. Razz

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:46 am

Errr... just a thought. But if the people in the pub think it's an issue, why haven't they contacted the local police?

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:44 pm

Rootuser: It's just his name: Kuchung Kwong.

Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:45 pm

As a bar owner I would not be apt to accept a large bill not in the local currency for a small purchase. How would you know the appropriate exchange rate? Does China just have an official rate vis a via the US Dollar? Also how would I know if it is fake? I work in a business that takes in a lot of cash in US Dollars and we get a fake $20 or $100 a couple times a year despite looking for fakes. How would a bar owner in China know a real US Bill from a fake?

Does not mean the people in the bar are guy men.

Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:28 am

having lived and traveled extensively in Central and East Africa I was a little surprised when the locals would point out a Nigerian to me. they seem to be everywhere in small numbers and the locals always seem to consider them to be up to no good. Not a great reputation to have and, once earned, a difficult reputation to shake.

Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:55 am

I just sent Alan at least one bank account today that was Nigerian-connected but setup in China. I'm sure there's an honest Nigerian or two in China, but they're all confined to the embassy. Laughing

Just kidding. The original post made me think funny business on the part of some lads right away.

Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 6:50 am

One interesting tactic that I have been trying in my baits is telling them about my dreams. As a culture they are extremely superstitous and take dreams very seriously. Rolling Eyes

I have noticed that talking about earth, wind, fire and water in a dream seems to strike a particular nerve. there definately are possiblities here for a lot of fun. Cool

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18313

@Koko.DK: The name the lad is using for you is no indication whatsoever of his nationality as the lads don't scam with their real names, or usually, anything even close. Wink

Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:10 pm

There are a few Key parts to know what a fake C-Note looks like.. (that isnt made on the same type of press - and these presses are in hands of a few select governments)

One is the strip in the bill.. should read USD 100 then good ol Ben's Image is in the watermark only seen in light. Of course the paper feel if the key part of it all too..

Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:46 pm

^^ But now how is a Chinese bartender supposed to know that?

I've handled USDs so far just once, for roughly two weeks. I couldn't tell the difference between a real note and a fake. Many Chinese probably have never handled USDs, and I even believe that many don't even know who "good old Ben" (Franklin, I guess) is and what he looks like.

Also it should be noted that to me Chinese money feels like money from a monopoly game. Thus people there may not be as wary about money feels like, especially foreign currencies.

Another funny thing as a side-note: Last year they introduced a polymer 10 HKD-note here in Hong Kong. It feels like plastic (what a surprise...) and has a transparent window inside. For somebody who doesn't know about this this surely looks and feels like a fake, I've witnessed people expressing doubt about that note on first sight.

I think the biggest point here anyway is that these guys use big foreign notes frequently, which is suspicious.
As I said before, if you go to a country, even only for a short time, you bring money in the local currency or exchange as soon as possible (probably upon arrival in the airport, at least a bit for the first day or two).
When you stay longer (and here I count everything over a week as "longer") I cannot imagine why anybody would not exchange their own currency to the local currency. For sure you won't get very far if you don't have local money.

Before the HKD was quite well accepted in southern China, but since the RMB is higher than the HKD they don't take it anymore in many places, where before it was absolutely no problem.

As said, I don't know what USDs feel like, and I have used them already. How is somebody who never held USDs (issued by a trustworthy authority [bank] that is, because otherwise you can never know for sure if the note is real) supposed to know what to look for?

I find it amazing that the bar-owner allows this.
As chinadawg said

Quote:

"Bank of China doesn't sell beer, so we don't do currency exchange"

I also don't go to the tailor to get my hair cut...

Finally:
@Koko: As Ima said, a name doesn't mean anything. You surely already have learned here that the lads always lie, and so do we. The lad invent silly names for themselves, we do alike.
I've had few lads with IPs that actually pointed to China, but I'd actually like more. I'd especially like a lad or two with a Hong Kong IP, I think that guy put on some nice running shoes for a nice walk all over the place.

Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 7:49 pm

I know what US Currency feels like as I was a bank teller whilst going to school. I would not even know what a Hong Kong Dollar looks like. Without using Mr. Google I could not even tell you the name of the currency main land China uses, much less what it looks like or feels like.

If you cane into my business trying to pay in anything other than US Currency you would be directed down the street to the nearest bank to see if they would convert to US Currency, or asked to pay by credit card.

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 6:45 am

As far as telling the police, yeah right, they tend to not get involved in such stuff.

As it turns out, the bar owner has banned the lads from the bar - period. Sitting all night taking up space and not buying enough booze apparently. Not like they can complain to anyone about being banned.

We're still not sure if these guys are scammers or drug dealers, Guangzhou had a big problem with Nigerian drug dealers. Probably a bit of both we suspect. Will be interesting to see what happens when the local triad boss gets wind of these guys if they are dealing. They'll wish they were only dealing with the police.

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