How are investors from Thailand going to scam me?

[Scot]

So as some of you know, I’m currently running a Reg CF (equity crowdfunding) fundraise on a public platform. I have gotten a few boilerplate emails for various things from people who scrape crowdfunding sites and SEC reports.

This is probably the third random email I’ve gotten from an “investment group” out of Thailand. I’m hard up for capital, but not that desperate. I know this has got to be a scam.. but just curious how they could scam me.

Here’s the email.



Here’s the guy that’s supposedly emailing me. Chatchai Kaewbootta

Any “Nigerian prince” level scammer can pretend to be a billionaire and spoof an email. Odds of me knowing how to verify this guys identity are low.

So...

What’s the game here? How are they going to rip me off?

On the incredibly rare chance this is legit, how do you verify the identity of someone like this?

 

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[G-Man]

When I see something like this, first thought is "money laundering". May not be so much about stealing from you as it is finding a bank account for stolen funds.

Or, they promise to invest and then request some form of money to cover "origination fees" or something like that.

 

[Antti]

Department of business development in Thailand has a website where you can search some basic information of Thai companies. I did a quick search and it looks like the company is actually legit:

https://datawarehouse.dbd.go.th/company/profile/7/0107556000400

Unfortunately, the names on the board of directors list are written with Thai alphabet so it's hard to tell if the guy who emailed you is listed there.

If you are really interested, maybe look for a law firm in Thailand that could do a proper background check? Thailand is so popular with expats that all kinds of services are offered in English too.

 

[Water]

Sounds like phishing to me.

Best to look at the email of the sender. Anything that ends with gmail.com can be completely ignored.

However, if it ends with Srisawad corp or something similar, you can reply back and ask for a phone number or a face-to-face Zoom meeting to verify his or his secretary's identity.

 

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[Tommo]

So as some of you know, I’m currently running a Reg CF (equity crowdfunding) fundraise on a public platform. I have gotten a few boilerplate emails for various things from people who scrape crowdfunding sites and SEC reports.

This is probably the third random email I’ve gotten from an “investment group” out of Thailand. I’m hard up for capital, but not that desperate. I know this has got to be a scam.. but just curious how they could scam me.

Here’s the email.

View attachment 32624

Here’s the guy that’s supposedly emailing me. Chatchai Kaewbootta

Any “Nigerian prince” level scammer can pretend to be a billionaire and spoof an email. Odds of me knowing how to verify this guys identity are low.

So...

What’s the game here? How are they going to rip me off?

On the incredibly rare chance this is legit, how do you verify the identity of someone like this?

I can't find him or his corporation via Linkedin, not conclusive but a bit suss. To answer your question I have no idea how this is going to rip you off, must be a two or three step scam.

 

[Stargazer]

Good Morning Scot

1) He is a legit person however he has resigned from that group.

2) It would not be him emailing you anyway. (Plausibility plays a factor in sales and cons.)

3) Laundering drug money. Golden Triangle. Go to Spain. All the development there was funded by Russian Mafia.

Read this if you want to know how these things work. (Seems way more expensive on US Amazon for some reason, only £5 quid here)

The Laundrymen: Inside the World's Third Largest Business by Jeffrey Robinson (1998-06-01): Amazon.co.uk: Books

Dan

 

[Jake]

Here’s the email.



Here’s the guy that’s supposedly emailing me. Chatchai Kaewbootta

Ok..do you really think he would be emailing you? If your product has caught attention of billionaires I'd be happy to make calls or check for you........But... Please do basic research before and let me know..I can't exactly roll up into a Biliionaires office just like a billionaire would probably not make contact and drop his name on your crowdfunding project so I'm leaning towards......he has never seen this

 

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[goaumichedu]

So as some of you know, I’m currently running a Reg CF (equity crowdfunding) fundraise on a public platform. I have gotten a few boilerplate emails for various things from people who scrape crowdfunding sites and SEC reports.

This is probably the third random email I’ve gotten from an “investment group” out of Thailand. I’m hard up for capital, but not that desperate. I know this has got to be a scam.. but just curious how they could scam me.

Here’s the email.

View attachment 32624

Here’s the guy that’s supposedly emailing me. Chatchai Kaewbootta

Any “Nigerian prince” level scammer can pretend to be a billionaire and spoof an email. Odds of me knowing how to verify this guys identity are low.

So...

What’s the game here? How are they going to rip me off?

On the incredibly rare chance this is legit, how do you verify the identity of someone like this?

Hi Scot,

I am raising on Invest in BARU: Resize furniture in Augmented Reality before buying on @wefunder and I got two $1m offers with term sheets from "investors" from Thailand. There weren't standard US venture capital term sheets. They both required an Investment Security Bond, highly unusual.

What was the outcome from your deal?

Tino

 

[LordGanon]

I have some connections to organized crime (don't look at me like that, you meet interesting people in rehab).

Thailand is where a certain group of honorable bikers launders a lot of money, mostly through business credits, real estate development and...you probably guessed it.

That said: Never ever do business with Thai people (unless you've got a lot of firepower). The Thai law on property and business (for good reasons and I actually think this policy is great) is stacked against foreigners. Also, don't mistake their kindness for stupidity.

.edit: Actually, I'd be very, very cautious when it comes to business credit. You don't even have to go to Thailand for that. You wouldn't believe the schemes the 'Ndrangheta comes up with to launder money in Germany. I witnessed this first hand. I don't want to know what happens if you don't perform.