Pattaya cannabis shop employee outwits rent scammer

A deception attempt was recently unearthed at a cannabis shop located on the busy street of Pattaya Second Road. A swindler, cowardly hiding behind a mask and the guise of a landlord, tried to trick an innocent shop employee into handing over a sum of 25,730 baht, claiming it to be due for shop rent.

The incident came to light today, as Rattanakorn, a 23 years old employee at the Sativa cannabis shop, retold the strange occurrence to the local press. The mysterious ruse unfolded on the evening of July 19, when an unknown middle-aged man walked into the shop around 5.30pm.

Rattanakorn’s description of the imposter depicted him as a man in his mid-forties to fifties decked out in a long-sleeved chequered shirt and extended trousers. The man’s face was discreetly hidden behind a face mask.

Upon his entry, the man insinuated that he was there to collect the monthly shop rent. To demonstrate an intensive check, he questioned Rattanakorn about the whereabouts of the shop owner. On receiving the confirmation that the owner wasn’t present on the premises, the stranger sought if there existed any proof of an appointment with the proprietor.

Playing his part convincingly, the scammer staged a bogus phone conversation, detailing the falsely conceived rent specifics with the supposed owner. This ingenious act prompted Rattanakorn to commence the preparation of the demanded sum, seemingly convinced about the legitimacy of the request.

However, as luck would have it, the authentic owner called up the shop precisely at that moment. Seizing the opportunity, Rattanakorn queried about any rent dues for the present day. Overhearing the discussion, the man realised that the shop employee was communicating with the actual owner. Panicked, he hurriedly bolted from the shop, leaving empty-handed.

Rattanakorn admitted to not having a clear recollection of the man’s face. He proactively lodged a complaint with the local Pattaya police, sharing the CCTV recordings of the unsettling incident. He pertinently warned his fellow employees and shopkeepers to remain vigilant in such scenarios and to verify with the proprietor before proceeding with any abrupt payments demanded by unfamiliar individuals, reports The Pattaya News.