Warning: Online Scam Victim Loses Hundreds of Thousands After Posting Gold Bar Sale
A Pathum Thani woman lost 170,000 baht in gold bars after being tricked by an online scammer who posed as a buyer and arranged fraudulent courier pickup. Police are investigating the organized scam that exploited her trust during a video-ve
A 31-year-old woman from Pathum Thani has filed a police report after losing 2 kilograms of gold bars valued at approximately 170,000 baht to online scammers. She is sharing her experience to warn other online buyers and sellers.
On the afternoon of April 28, the woman posted an advertisement selling gold bars in a gold collecting group—two bars at 85,000 baht each (170,000 baht total). A LINE message came in from someone interested in purchasing. After discussing details at length, the buyer claimed to be from Bueng Kan province. The seller was hesitant about shipping high-value items, so she asked about payment arrangements. The buyer suggested she deliver the package to a courier service, and he would transfer the money immediately.
The seller agreed, thinking that if the buyer didn't transfer the funds, she could cancel the shipment and retrieve the items. The buyer requested photos of the shop front, branch name, and location for verification purposes, and asked for 15 minutes' notice before arrival. During the delivery at the courier shop, the buyer kept the woman on a video call but wouldn't turn on his camera—he insisted she keep hers on. He claimed he wanted to verify the items were properly packaged and delivered.
After leaving the shop, the seller sat in her car waiting for the money transfer. About 10 minutes passed with no payment. She messaged that if he didn't transfer within 5 minutes, she would cancel the transaction. She rushed back into the shop to stop the shipment, but the staff said a rider had already picked it up, claiming to be the sender's boyfriend. The staff said they had called her, but she didn't answer during the video call, so they released the package. The seller realized she had been defrauded by an organized scam ring.
On the same day, Pol. Maj. Wiwat Asvaviboon, superintendent of Muang Pathum Thani Police Station, stated that investigators have taken the victim's statement as evidence and summoned the courier service staff to provide their account. An investigation is underway to identify and prosecute all individuals involved in the crime.
