Why do some people cheat the others, especially foreigners?
By ryanong
@ryanong (9665)
Vietnam
November 5, 2012 11:52pm CST
It is my story. When i went back Vietnam, I remembered a wrong airport name, I went to the airport S but in fact i have to go to the airport D to check in. When i asked a woman in the information desk, she said i had to take taxi to go now because it was quite late to check in already. I was so worry and i went out to catch a taxi.
I ask how long does it take from this airport to the airport D? and how much for it? he said 30 usd (around 930 bath), it takes 30 mins. I said why is it very expensive. I went from pattaya to here, it took 1 hour and a half, the price is 1000 bath only. He said if i want go fast, i have to pay 100 bath more. i said, no, 300 bath but i don't have bath, i will pay by usd/euro. He said ok. I got in a taxi.
His English is not good, i was worried a bit.
And then he repeats, if i want to go highway, i have to pay 100 bath more, hix... i just try to tell him that i don't have much money, i need to go to the airport D on time for my flight.
I paid him 20 euro because i have papers of 100 usd only. I wait 2 minutes, he had no intend to pay me back, hix, i got out of taxi because i don't want to be late to check in. (I think if i gave him one paper of 100 usd, he would get all 100 usd and would not refund to me also)
Yesterday my friend told me that price from the airport S to center Bangkok is 250 bath only, and it takes longer than 30 mins. I know that guy cheated me and i had to pay much. Why do some people always try to cheat the others, especially foreigners?
2 people like this
10 responses
@fashionfever (2200)
• Indonesia
10 Nov 12
Sorry to hear your bad experience Ryanong, I hope this kind of experience won't be happen again in the future and I will take a lesson from your experience.
But it actually happens everywhere even in my country, but in here some bad people try to cheat everyone not just the foreigners so becareful whenever you travel in other country. If you come to my country I advice you to take taxi that provided by the airport, we can check how much does it cost to our destination and also we pay upfront payment in the office plus we will get a receipt for that so we don't have to worry the taxi driver would cheat us or won't return back the change.
I would love to go Thailand one day but I need to learn from other people's experience to prepare myself, so I'll be careful when I have to go by taxi there.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
12 Nov 12
yeah,i think so...
i think the language is a barrier also since that taxi drivers can't speak English well, and he ignored my talk also...hix hix...
Thailand is nice place to visit and shopping except that taxi driver in bangkok.
You have a cousin living in there then for sure she will help you when you travel to thailand.
Thai language is difficult to memory or i am older already then i can't remember well, hihihi, my friend teaches me some sentence such as hi, thank, make a bill, but i couldn't say whenever i wanted to speak thai, hix...
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
9 Nov 12
Ryan, it is quite usual that we will meet this kind of cheaters when we are in foreign countries. Pity to hear that you got cheated quite a lot by that taxi driver. It is always better to be careful and don't get ourselves into dangerous situation. Luckily that you are safely return to your own country. By the way, how's your vacation in Thailand? Have you manage to go shopping? I heard from my friend that Thailand is a great place for shopping.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
12 Nov 12
yeah, right now i am in Vietnam and i will go to Korea in the end of this week so that i didnt think much about that situation anymore. In Korea i won't worry about cheaters because taxi drivers are honest and very good. I never bargain or ask about the price when i take a taxi also.
yes, i had such nice time in Thailand, nice place, nice food and for sure i did go shopping also, but i didn't buy much since i went shopping with a friend and he bought a lot, not me, hihihi
@silverfox09 (4708)
• United States
7 Nov 12
People always try to cheat foreigners , I remember one time I was in another country take a taxi and the river immediate hear my accent and try to over charge me . I know the area like the back of my hand but the driver did not know that so when he tell me the cost , I just gave him the correct amount and look at him and tell him to his face that I am not new here . He felt so embarrass he had a guilty smile and I just walk away .
People are always looking on ways to scam people out of money .
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
7 Nov 12
Yeah, luckily you know well that place then that man had no chance to cheat you.
To be honest, i don't understand why some people always wanna cheat the others just because they are foreigner or they don't know much about the local place. Well, maybe i am too naive, but i really hope some people won't do like that. this life, money is not the all, they should not sell their soul to devil just because of money.
@frontvisions101 (16043)
• Philippines
6 Nov 12
That also happens here in the Philippines. Some merchants cheat foreigners to a higher price for their products. Sadly, it's because of money. Foreigners are mostly clueless about how the price ranges are so the merchants trick them into buying their products for a high price. This is one of the examples why people say that money runs the whole world.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
7 Nov 12
His, i feel sad for it since not all foreigners are the rich people. I am not also, i had to save money hard for traveling since i like travel a lot, it doesn't mean i am the rich.
Right now people just think of money a lot and try to get benefit whenever they can
@doroffee (4222)
• Hungary
6 Nov 12
Because most people want to get the best out of every situation. They would use any opportunity to get more money - and what is a better opportunity for that than tourists who may be there for the first time only... they don't know the customs, the habits, how things work there. Especially when they are in a hurry, they won't ponder how much a meal could be in a restaurant, taxi fares... in my country, some restaurateurs are known for selling food for 10 times more to unknowing tourists, as well as souvenir shops. In Italy, once, a shopkeeper withdrew more money from my mom's credit card than he shiuld have, and in Greece, when we were on a tour with other families, a restaurant keeper gave a 5 times more expensive bill to a couple that ate there. There was a huge scandal, because the agency brought us to that restaurant/taverna, so they must have had a contract or some kind... and even with bringing all the tourists there, they dare to cheat... and the agency was trying to defend them... great... cheaters are everyhwere, unfortunately.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
7 Nov 12
hix, 
Next time i trill try to be more careful whenever i go travel. I can give money for charity even though i am no rich but i don't like to have a feeling when be cheated, it looks like i can't trust anyone out there...so sad when people think and want to get money by anyway, any trick...
Next time i trill try to be more careful whenever i go travel. I can give money for charity even though i am no rich but i don't like to have a feeling when be cheated, it looks like i can't trust anyone out there...so sad when people think and want to get money by anyway, any trick...
@Shavkat (137215)
• Philippines
6 Nov 12
I think, some people such an act because of poverty. The word survival to sustain their lives. It is not acceptable but we can not blame them, they wanted to live too. I hope that the government will have the proposal of having a livelihood program to help them out to live in a decent life. Good day!
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
6 Nov 12
Sadly this is a very common practice and many taxi drivers consider a foreigner to be an easy target because they may not be as familiar with the currency. Of course the majority of taxi drivers are honest people and will treat you fairly, but the few that do take advantage of their customers are the ones that people remember the most.
I have had a little experience of this nature, but I refuse to be cheated and have never allowed anyone to take that kind of advantage of me. I sympathise with you, but the only thing that you can do now is accept it and be more wary in future.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
6 Nov 12
hix, it is the first time i got that situation, because i never get a cheater in Korea, Japan, Singapore or in Hungary. Next time i will be careful whenever i travel to countries in Asia zone.
Because of money, people just try to cheat as much as they can, so sad for it.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
6 Nov 12
So sorry you had to experience that. I think people like the taxi driver do take advantage of the foreigners whenever they get the chance. It is easy money for them. Coz they know that foreigners wouldn't be running around without cash with them. And so people would be finding ways of extorting money from foreigners.
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
6 Nov 12
This happens all over the world, it's a way to make fast money. As a tourist you need help and these people know you are. Also in many cultures it's normal to make a deal about the price. What you are willing to pay for. If you do not want to pay for that get out of that car! Fact is there are plenty of drivers. As long as you are willing to pay they will ask whatever they want. After all you are the tourist and according to them you are rich. Since only a rich person is able to travel and take a taxi.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
6 Nov 12
hix, it is wrong when thinking that a tourist is the rich and it is wrong to think that a person who take a taxi is the rich also. i just don't have many choice since i don't know about bus or any others transportation.
Take a taxi is more expensive than taking a bus or tuktuk, i am ok with paying higher a bit since i am in urgent case, but i really don't like the way they cheat me. Well, it is my lesson, i will be so careful whenever i go to another country in asia zone.
@ryanong (9665)
• Vietnam
6 Nov 12
You are right, language is a barrier and one more i didn't know about the price or distance between 2 airports. This is the first time i got it in Asia zone.
Well, in such that situation, i had no choice. But i really do hope taxi drivers should not do cheat travelers/foreigner to get money like that.
