Trio busted for 700k baht hotel booking fraud in Pattaya
3 suspects were arrested for luring tourists to a Facebook scam
What was meant to be a dream getaway to Pattaya turned into a financial nightmare for dozens of unsuspecting tourists after falling victim to a slick Facebook hotel booking scam, and now the suspects are behind bars.
Yesterday, May 20, police arrested three suspects accused of running a fraudulent operation that used fake Facebook pages to pose as reputable hotels in Pattaya. Their alleged con raked in over 700,000 baht, leaving holidaymakers duped and out of pocket.
According to the Tourist Police Bureau, the trio was tracked down in a coordinated operation involving raids in Chanthaburi, Bangkok, and Ayutthaya, following arrest warrants issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court.
“These suspects lured tourists using Facebook pages that mimicked popular Pattaya hotels,” said a bureau spokesperson. “They offered fake promotions to convince victims to transfer money for non-existent bookings.”
The scammers reportedly used a step-by-step strategy: first, they advertised highly attractive room deals, offering what seemed like unbeatable promotional rates. Tourists were asked to pay a small deposit to hold the reservation. Once the hook was set, the fraudsters followed up through Facebook Messenger, pressuring victims to pay the full room fee along with a deposit guarantee, claiming limited availability and time-sensitive offers.
But the scam unravelled when victims showed up at their supposed hotels — only to find no bookings in their names and no records of payment. Worse still, the bank accounts used for payment had no connection to the hotels.
Transaction records linked to the suspects’ accounts point to a total of over 700,000 baht being siphoned from victims, police said.
The three suspects have now been handed over to Pattaya Police Station for further legal proceedings. They face multiple charges, including fraud and identity misrepresentation, reported The Nation.
Police urge travellers to exercise caution when booking accommodation online. “Always verify the authenticity of hotel Facebook pages,” said the Tourist Police Bureau. “If in doubt, call the hotel directly or use well-known booking platforms.”
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