Job scam victims demand justice after losing 100,000 baht each

Victims of a job scam involving an overseas employment agency have reported being defrauded of over 100,000 baht each, with more than 100 individuals affected. Despite local police reports, the case has seen no progress.

At 11am today, July 11, a group of victims, led by 40 year old Kesinee, met with Police Lieutenant Roi-et Tanlert at the Central Investigation Bureau’s complaint centre. They sought action against an overseas employment agency based in Chiang Mai, which had allegedly tricked them into paying substantial fees for non-existent jobs.

Kesinee explained that the agency advertised numerous job openings for farm work in Australia and New Zealand, including positions at cattle farms, sheep farms, and vineyards. The victims were required to pay over 100,000 baht each, purportedly for visa processing, medical examinations, and other documentation.

The agency’s credibility seemed bolstered by its involvement in training workers at a cattle farm in Nakhon Ratchasima, leading many to trust and pay the fees in hopes of securing employment abroad.

However, when the promised job placements failed to materialise, the agency blamed foreign brokers for the mishap. Attempts to reclaim the money were met with evasions. Kesinee and the other job scam victims discovered that over 100 people had fallen prey to the same scam.

Despite filing reports with local police, no significant progress was made in their cases, prompting them to seek help from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).

Initially, investigators at the complaint centre collected statements and evidence from the victims to verify the facts before forwarding the case for review by the CIB, reported KhaoSod.

As the victims’ numbers grew, their collective voices became harder to ignore. Many had hoped that the police would swiftly address the issue, but their lack of action led them to escalate the matter to the CIB. The victims now await a thorough investigation and hope that justice will be served.