PATTAYA – A German tourist filed a complaint with Pattaya City Police Station late Wednesday night after being tricked into paying €4,000 – not 4,000 baht – for herbal coconut oil by a foreign national of unknown origin.
Mr. Nadir Altaf, 52, a German national, told police he was walking around Pattaya when he was approached by a foreign man, appearing to be of Middle Eastern descent, who offered to sell him herbal-infused coconut oil with supposed miraculous hair growth properties. Interested in the product, Nadir followed the seller to a nearby shop and agreed to purchase five bottles.
The seller quoted a price of “4,000” without clearly specifying the currency. Nadir assumed it was 4,000 baht (approximately €107) and proceeded with the purchase. However, when he swiped his credit card, he was charged €4,000 – equivalent to approximately 140,000 baht. Upon discovering the scam, he immediately reported the incident to police.
Police Sub-Lieutenant Phupha Hongyakul, Deputy Investigation Inspector at Pattaya City Police Station, recorded the complaint and coordinated with investigators to examine the case. He noted that such incidents occur regularly in the area, with some victims not filing reports. When complaints are filed, authorities typically follow up with the shops to secure refunds.
“We have conducted multiple raids and made several arrests, but these scammers continue to operate, damaging Pattaya’s reputation,” Lt. Phupha said.
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