Man scammed out of 16,000 baht in Facebook amulet auction

A man reported being scammed out of 16,000 baht after attempting to bid on a valuable amulet on Facebook, only to be blocked by the page and left empty-handed. The police are now investigating the incident.

Yesterday, August 20, a 38 year old man identified as “A” went to the Mueang Udon Thani Police Station to file a report. He explained that he had participated in an online auction for a Luang Pu Thuat amulet, a highly revered item, through a Facebook page called เนท ลำปาง LIVE, which boasted around 50,000 followers. Given the page’s substantial following, it appeared reputable, prompting him to join the auction.

“I saw the page advertising an auction for a Luang Pu Thuat amulet from Wat Pradu Chimphli, dating back to 1978 to 1980. This particular amulet is known for its high value, often reaching millions of baht due to its historical and religious significance.”

The auction began with a starting bid of 13,000 baht (US$380), with increments of 500 baht (US$15). The auction was set to close at 3pm. As the bidding progressed, A noticed several participants, potentially shill bidders, driving up the price to 15,000 baht (US$440).

Determined to secure the amulet, he placed a final bid of 16,000 baht (US$470). Shortly after the auction closed, he received a message at 3.03pm confirming his winning bid and providing bank account details for the payment.

To ensure the transaction’s legitimacy, he requested to see the seller’s ID card to verify that the name matched the bank account details. The page complied and sent a matching ID. Although the page offered additional amulets for purchase, A declined and asked them to ship the item he had won. He also requested the tracking number for the shipment for his verification.

Amulet scam

However, when he checked his messages the next morning, he found that he had been blocked by the auction page, and the page itself was no longer visible. Realising he had been deceived, he also received warnings from others who had fallen victim to the same scam, prompting him to file a police report, reported KhaoSod.

“I felt uneasy when I couldn’t see the page anymore. Then, I received messages from others who had been scammed by the same page, which confirmed my fears. That’s when I decided to go to the police.”

The Mueang Udon Thani Police are now investigating the case, aiming to track down the individuals behind the fraudulent Facebook page. They are urging others who may have been scammed by the same page to come forward and provide information to assist in their investigation.