THAI GEM SCAM: EAST MEETS WEST

"The Thai gem scam involves layers of con men and helpers who tell a tourist in Bangkok of an opportunity to earn money by buying duty-free jewelry and having it shipped back to the tourist's home country. The mark is driven around the city in a tuk-tuk operated by one of the con men, who ensures that the mark meets one helper after another, until the mark is persuaded to buy the jewelry from a store also operated by the swindlers. The gems are real but significantly overpriced. This scam has been operating for 20 years in Bangkok, and is said to be protected by Thai police and politicians. A similar scam usually runs in parallel for custom-made suits. Many tourists are hit by conmen touting both goods." Wikipedia

The ABACUS CDO Scam involves layers of quantitative con men, portfolio selection agents, rating agencies and investment bankstas who tell visiting Dutch and German bankers  in London and New York of an opportunity to earn money by buying synthetic subprime CDOs (Q Bunk) and having it shipped back to the tourist's home country. The mark is driven around the city in a Lincoln Town Car operated by one of the con men, who ensures that the mark meets one helper after another, until the mark is persuaded to buy the Q Bunk in an investment banking office also operated by the swindlers. The Q Bunk is a real genuine synthetic CDO but grossly overpriced. This scam has been operating for 10 years on Wall Street, and until recently was said to be protected by the FRB, SEC and politicians. A similar scam usually runs in parallel for counterfeit Viagra. Many visiting German and Dutch bankers are hit by Wall Street con men touting both goods.