Over 500 people fall victim of jewellery fraud causing 60 million baht damage

More than 500 people fell victim to a jewellery fraud in central Thailand. A Thai couple who owned a jewellery shop in the Samut Sakhon province lured unsuspecting customers into buying jewellery worth about 60 million baht.

Paisarn Ruengrit, a lawyer representing 30 of the victims, complained with the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) after discovering that the jewels sold were either fraudulent or of inferior quality compared to what was initially promised, while some customers didn’t receive their purchases at all.

The Thai couple, who remain unnamed, had been operating the jewellery shop for more than five years.

Paisarn revealed that the couple utilized deceptive tactics to sell their products through an online platform. They enticed buyers with misleading promotions, such as allowing them to resell diamonds to the shop at a higher price than the purchase amount or providing a free diamond worth 700,000 baht if they topped up the shop’s electric wallet with 50,000 baht.

Additionally, the couple swindled several jewellery traders by placing large orders and promising payment after selling them to customers. One trader attempted to contact the couple but discovered that the shop and its official Facebook page were deactivated on May 3.

The shop’s staff members denied involvement in the jewellery fraud, claiming they were also victims and only found out about the shop’s closure when they arrived for work as usual. Many customers complained about the issue via phone, but the staff members were unable to assist them.

Paisarn and his team conducted an investigation and discovered that the couple had opened a coffee shop in Udon Thani province in northeastern Thailand. However, when the team visited the shop, they did not find the couple.

Paisarn believed the couple was still in Thailand because their child was attending school.

On the same day, another lawyer, Ratchapon Sirisakhon, brought ten victims to file a complaint at the CIB. One of the victims, Chonticha, reported investing approximately 400,000 baht with the shop but did not receive any benefits or diamonds as advertised.

The CIB has received the complaints and is currently investigating the case.