Chiang Mai locals fear scam as love scandal posters pop up across province
James and Olivia affair exposed or advertisement for travel agency?
A travel agency in the northern province of Chiang Mai caused panic in the local community with a bizarre advertising tactic: posters featuring the love scandal of James and Olivia along with a QR code.
A Thai man, Wirawat Buranarom, spotted several paper posters with QR codes attached to streetlights and electricity poles in central Chiang Mai. Concerned by the mysterious content, he decided to share the discovery on social media, admitting he was too afraid to scan the QR code himself.
The English text on the posters read….
“James, I know you’ve been CHEATING!!! on me with Olivia. I have PROOF!!! And now the whole of Chiang Mai will TOO.”
The QR code was printed prominently in the centre of the poster, and many assumed it would reveal evidence of a secret affair between James and Olivia.
Despite being curious, Wirawat and other locals refrained from scanning the code, fearing it could be a scam involving spyware or malicious software that could lead to financial loss.
Wirawat’s post was later shared by the Facebook page, เชียงใหม่ที่คุณไม่เคยเห็น (translated as Unseen Chiang Mai), today, July 2. The page administrator warned residents not to scan the code, stressing it could pose a financial risk.
However, many online commenters revealed that they had scanned the code, and it had nothing to do with James or Olivia. Instead, it redirected to the website of a travel agency offering motorcycle rentals and coffee shop services.
The agency’s contact details and location were listed on the site. While the QR code wasn’t part of a scam, netizens noted that the misleading posters still tricked people into visiting the business. Comments under the post included…
“I’ve seen this poster before in Facebook groups for foreign tourists.”
“I scanned it, I swear I wasn’t interested in James and Olivia!”
“Just a trap for nosy people!”
Some residents questioned whether this advertising method was legal. They argued that placing unauthorised posters on public property likely violates the Cleanliness and Orderliness Act, which could result in a fine.
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