Digital Crosstalk

Buyers Beware of Duty-Free Deception

Posted by Brian | Filed under air

Anyone who has ever spent time in an airport departure lounge will at one point or another in time browsed through the duty free shop in order to waste a few precious minutes before their flight departs – some people may even buy something.

But, thanks to a new scam happening in several Asian airports, including Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, browsing the duty free could cost much more than one could ever dream.

The scam, known as the ‘zig-zag’ scam involves an unsuspecting tourist being apprehended by a security guard on suspicion of shoplifting and getting removed from the departure lounge to a nearby police station where a painstaking interrogation – sometimes involving intimidation and bullying – takes place until the ‘accused’ hands over a sum of cash to buy their freedom.

The Irish Independent online carries a story of two British IT workers who fell prey to the scam and were forced to pay around £5,000 to a police official in order to secure their release. However, when they contacted the British embassy they were told they had fallen foul of the scam and had in fact paid a middleman.

So, the next time you’re in Asia awaiting a flight home it might be a wise idea to steer clear of duty free altogether, otherwise you might be counting the cost of much more than a bottle of perfume or a packet of cigarettes.

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2. Alcohol-free resort launched for recovering addicts

Tags: airports, asia, duty free, thailand, travel