Family’s holiday nightmare: Luxury villa turns out to be scam
A family’s excitement for their Hua Hin holiday took a turn as they fell victim to a cunning Facebook scam, leaving them high and dry.
Amidst the bustling holiday anticipation, a family, with an individual named Kukkai as their representative, eagerly planned their annual retreat, scouring for a pet-friendly haven to accommodate eight to 10 people.
Their quest led the family to the enticing allure of the Siam Sea View Pool Villa paraded on Facebook, promising opulence at a pocket-friendly rate. Seduced by its grand facade and accommodating capacity, the family forked out 19,000 baht for a two-night stint, coupled with a 4,000 baht security deposit. But what seemed like paradise soon dissolved into a cruel mirage upon their approach.
With every attempt to seek solace from the villa’s admin met with an eerie silence, their hopeful hearts sank as they stood face-to-face with nothing but barren land, their dream getaway shattered by the harsh reality of scamming schemes.
As a caution to others, Kukkai took to video, exposing the deceitful machinations of the scammer who, despite their complaints lodged at Phaya Thai police station, continued to lure unsuspecting victims through the notorious Siam Sea View Pool Villa page, reported Hua Hin Today.
As the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) sounded alarms on online holiday rentals, warning of a murky trail leading to a certain Piratchai Srimachai’s bank account, victims were urged to arm themselves with evidence and report such travesties promptly.
In related news, a tale of deceit and dashed dreams emerged when a 41 year old British woman conned friends, including a bridesmaid, out of thousands for a Thailand wedding.
In other news, Thai authorities swooped on a sophisticated online scam that left victims reeling with losses exceeding 800 million baht. The online scam was orchestrated by a criminal syndicate, reportedly handling funds upwards of 5 billion baht, and targeted unsuspecting individuals through the guise of lucrative investments in Thai and foreign stocks, drawing them into financial ruin.
