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Rape Information. (click here)
Gemstone Scams :
In 1992 alone, travellers lodged 464
complaints at the Tourism Authority of Thailand involving rigged jewelry
purchase in Bangkok. That averaged a case a day, not to mention those
that went unreported or were handled by other agencies. To avoid being a
statistic, you must stay alert to the warning signs of a swindle at
work, which are not too difficult to spot. It does not matter whether
you want to buy jewelry or not. It is all that more important if you
know nothing about gemstones. Heeding our warning could help you stave
off unpleasant surprises and make your vacation in Thailand what it
should be-full of sparkle.
The following are valuable pointers for your protection:
- Be wary of any encounter with strangers that ends up requiring your
presence in a gemshop. Most probably you are being the victim of a gem
scam.
- Buying gems or jewelry to resell them at double or triple the purchase
prices is an impossible proposition under any circumstances. If you
will, buy jewelry only for personal satisfaction for your own use or for
loved ones.
- Make price comparisons in various shops before deciding to buy. Never
be in a hurry.
- To avoid any problem that may later arise, all valuable items
especially sapphires or other precious stones should be taken home with
you instead of mailing.
- Do not believe talks of special (jewelry) sales of all kinds and
descriptions. Reputable dealers hardly ever offer sales and never send
touts to lure or persuade tourists to their stores. Give them a wide
berth.
- There are no government promotions/shows or special sales on jewelry
authorized by the government or any official agencies at any time of the
year.
- The government does not own, operate, subsidize nor authorize any
jewelry stores.
- All Thai embassies, consulates or any delegations abroad are neither
bound nor responsible for refunding goods that are bought in Thailand.
- As far as you can, take time to verify all the claims with original,
official, legal, expert sources. Words, promises, personal guarantee,
unchecked documents, unauthorized verbal or written statements, casual
references, encounters and the like do not constitute verification.
Remember, you are your own best protection.
When in doubt about the credibility of a gem shop, check it with us at :
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Rape Information.
