PATTAYA, Thailand – Police in Pattaya are searching for three suspects who allegedly scammed two Indian tourists out of US$900 in a street-level currency exchange trick late Wednesday night (April 8).
The victims reported the incident to investigators at Pattaya Police Station after it occurred near a currency exchange booth in South Pattaya.
According to statements given through an interpreter, the two tourists had been visiting Pattaya for six days and were attempting to exchange money when they were approached by three men believed to be Indian nationals.
The suspects engaged them in conversation and asked what currency they intended to exchange. Upon learning the tourists had US dollars, the trio offered to exchange the money themselves, claiming they needed the cash for travel back to India.
Trusting the offer, the victims handed over US$900 for inspection. However, during the exchange process, the suspects created a moment of confusion and quickly fled the scene with the money, leaving the victims shocked.
The tourists later reviewed nearby CCTV footage, which confirmed the involvement of three individuals, before filing a police report.
Investigators have recorded the complaint and are coordinating with local officers to examine security camera footage from the surrounding area. Efforts are underway to identify and locate the suspects for legal action.
Police have warned tourists to avoid informal currency exchanges and to use only licensed exchange services to prevent falling victim to similar scams.
