Dating service scam: Thai women look for foreign partners and lose millions of baht
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Several Thai women claim to have been deceived by a Facebook mediation service that promised them, for a fee, to find a foreign partner. The total loss incurred is estimated by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) at approximately 881 million baht.
CCIB spokesperson Kissana Phathanacharoen said victims have filed complaints accusing an online matchmaker, with a Facebook page followed by 150.000 people, of defrauding hundreds of millions of baht.
This matchmaker is said to offer dating services for Thai women looking for so-called 'farang' partners, a term generally used for people with European appearance. The price for the mediation varies based on the perceived profession of the potential partner. For example, the basic package costs 20.000 baht for 'farang' in technology or office jobs, 30.000 baht for developers and businessmen, 50.000 baht for doctors and pharmacists and 100.000 baht for dairy and vineyard farmers.
Colonel Kissana indicated that the matchmaker claims to create profiles on dating sites for 7.000 baht and offer private coaching on finding a 'farang' partner for 5.000 baht. The victims indicated that they were never introduced to anyone by the matchmaker. Furthermore, photos of the proposed 'farang' men turned out to be images of celebrities, top athletes or well-known businessmen.
Between March 2022 and September 17 of the same year, 2.621 cases related to these scams were reported, making this type of fraud the twelfth most reported crime, with a total loss of 881 million baht.
The investigation was sparked by seven female victims who had paid more than 100.000 baht each in the hope of meeting better-off men. After realizing they had been scammed, the victims sought out well-known lawyer Decha Kittivittayanan to file a report in hopes of getting the case to court.
One of the victims, a single mother, said she hoped to find a Western man so she could emigrate with her child. The success stories in the matchmaker's advertisements made her decide to pay for the service.
Lawyer Decha indicated that more than ten victims of the fraud have reported to him.
Tell me a minute! As a tax specialist, I get away with it badly. Twenty thousand baht for an office job and for a while, a ton of baht for a cow milker... Strange difference.
But the worst part is that there are people who make a living from this kind of scam. A report has been filed, but who will they catch? A catcher in Thailand where there is nothing to be had and who has stuck his neck out for a few meager percentages. The bosses will remain out of harm's way, I fear, and the victims will be left to fumble for their money.
Publicity is desperately needed, and let's hope that people don't fall for it anymore.
I do know someone. A Thai woman who actively engages in these kinds of practices. Linking Thai women to Western men via Facebook, for which she makes the Thai women pay in advance without the certainty of obtaining a Western man. This Thai lady walks in nicely.
It is not unusual that there are paid dating services, but do they pay based on the income of the potential partner? I think that's a red flag. Or would it also happen that men who are looking for a woman are given the option to pay based on the woman's age category, bust size or something similar? That would be a red flag. Unfortunately, the subscribers didn't think that something like that was a bit strange, or that the example profiles were very nice... too nice?
But desperation, greed or simply the idea that the grass is greener elsewhere (the idea that foreign women/men have more to offer than those in their own country) can apparently prevent some restraint or critical view. I agree with Erik's response. It's great that the scammers have been exposed, but it's a shame for those who have fallen for this.
Usually it is the other way around. The naive farang is ripped off and literally and figuratively stripped naked, especially in the bar circuit, after which the lady in question disappears from the picture.
I met a man in Germany who brought a Thai woman over, where the dating site holder is paid by more family members.
So it is not the case that the searching lady, who usually does not earn much, only pays for her possible happiness.
A happiness that often benefits an entire family.
Because the German man, of course, paid the costs of the Schengen visa and her flight for his Thai sweetheart, he could not understand that she also wanted to be reimbursed for the costs that she and her family had paid for a dating service.
This last fact only came to light in Germany, in bits and pieces, because she spoke almost no English.
I immediately believe this story
This is not the case only with the mat dating service
but employment agencies do the same
they make you pay to look for work with a low chance of results
and there will be more things like that
abuse your goodwill to have a better future
unfortunately but true
Isn't it still clear in 2023 that it doesn't work and you're being fooled?
Search in tagged, make contact, request a Skype or line contact and proceed.
Thai friendly, local time, only 1 free message per 10 minutes. Just ask for Skype, line and presto.
Then sometimes there was contact from the lady. No idea what it is like now.
No computer or anything, ding dong, red flag, bye honey
Money asked, ding dong, red flag, bye honey.