PATTAYA, Thailand – A scam targeting a popular restaurant in Pattaya was exposed after a customer falsely claimed to have suffered from food poisoning on November 14. The incident occurred at “Rod Rang Café & Slow Bar,” located behind the Four Regions Market in Pattaya.
According to the restaurant’s owner, Singhanat Rulpak, the scam began when the restaurant’s admin received a call from a customer who claimed to have eaten at the restaurant the previous day. The customer stated that after consuming a dish, specifically the restaurant’s signature black ink squid, they suffered severe stomach issues the following morning. The caller demanded a refund of 800 Baht for the meal.
However, the restaurant was closed the night before due to heavy rainfall, and there was no food service. Suspecting a scam, the restaurant staff became cautious and asked the caller for more information, including the table number and bank account details. When the customer provided a TrueMoney Wallet account, staff transferred 1 Baht to verify the name linked to the account. After researching the name “Ms. Jiranuch Limcheoy” online, the staff discovered that it had been reported in multiple scam alerts.
Singhanat explained that they were fortunate the restaurant was closed the previous evening, which made the scam evident. Had the restaurant been open, they might have unknowingly refunded the scammer. He urged other restaurant owners to be vigilant about such scams and to thoroughly verify any claims before processing refunds.
This incident serves as a cautionary tale for other businesses in Pattaya, warning them about potential fraudsters using fake food complaints to extort money.
