Comments on: Cambodia scams: Fake monks

By: WeeKiat

WeeKiat — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 12:39:38 +0000

Monks in Cambodia take money for alms, not food. If you look around, locals actually give cash, and some receive a blessing from the monk afterwards. Monks have a sorta fixed route within the community which they embark on in the morning and locals who want to contribute will call out to the monks and place the cash in the monk’s urn. I once peeked inside while making a donation. Did not see any food but tons of small Riel notes

By: Cindy Legorreta

Cindy Legorreta — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:06:52 +0000

Wonderful impish friend of ours, here in New Orleans, got so sick of these guys he made small signs, with sticky tape on the back. Whenever a phony monk approaches him, he leans forward, pats him on the back with a huge smile, and attaches the sign, which says, I AM A FAKE MONK. DON’T GIVE ME MONEY.

By: thailandlove

thailandlove — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 02:32:24 +0000

chinese fake monks also appear in ueno park in Tokyo. please be careful. Japanese real monks do not approach from them ask for money! for the detail pls check the link below of Asahi news paper of Japan. http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201704120042.html

By: Joe225

Joe225 — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 12:42:58 +0000

I’ve been in Phnom Penh on and off for the last two years and it seems to be getting worse. Just recently I saw the same ‘monk’ three times in the same night. Started politely saying no “awt Jung om” don’t need uncle, then aw tey “no”. Finally resorting to English No quite loudly, he then muttered something neither in English or Khmer and walked off, I was eating at a local Cambodian street stall so was surprised he approached. About 1 hour later he returned through stubbornness or sheer stupidity as it was clear I was getting a little angry. Said “no, no, no” and he left.

2 hours later at a different spot, a bar along the riverside he approached me again, luckily I was having a conversation with the staff and a tuk tuk driver at the time who quickly ushered him away.

It infuriates me that these people are trying to scam money from tourists who think they are actually doing a good deed. If any monk approaches, especially, at night, you can be pretty sure he is not a real one. Please wait until the morning (usually very early) when they do their call to alms and just follow what the locals do, that way the money will be used for what you intended.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 13:26:39 +0000

Wish I had read this earlier, I was scammed today while walking along the waterfront in PP. Monk approached me and offered me a wooden beaded bracelet, not knowing any better I accepted but did ask how much as I knew it couldn’t be free, I ended up parting with a $1 which I had to out in bowl that he produced from his shoulder bag. its such a shame this happens.