Gold scammers hit 3 other Pattaya shops

August 19, 2020

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Many gold shops in Pattaya and elsewhere in Thailand are reporting that they, too, were victims of the fake gold scam.

Fraudsters who scammed a Pattaya gold shop out of 9 million baht hit at least four other retailers, police said.

San Ulthanin, a 43-year-old Laotian illegal alien, was arrested this week for passing plated gold necklaces instead of solid-gold jewelry at the Nidtien gold shop in East Pattaya, defrauding owners Krit and Anatda Tienmai out of 9 million baht.

Samart Jamcharoen, owner of Mae Malee Gold Shop in Nongprue, shows a police report after having been cheated by the con men.

After news of the arrest spread, Anatda said she was contacted by three other shops in Pattaya and one in Sakhon Nakhon who also were hit similarly.

Police said the unnamed suspect has identified his accomplices and investigators are now trying to find them.

Anatda warned other gold sellers to thoroughly break apart and check all gold brought in to pawn to ensure its gold all the way through, not plated lead.

Krit admitted he was careless and paid out for solid gold numerous times without ever checking the quality of the pieces he was buying. He said he won’t make that mistake again.