When you think about traveling to Thailand, the last thing you want to experience is getting duped by a scammer. While Thailand is vibrant, beautiful, and elegant, we must remember that no country is safe from opportunistic people. But what are scammers, and what do they want?
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a scammer is a person who commits or participates in a fraudulent scheme or operation. A scammer has only one goal, and that is to get your money, and do it by any means necessary.
Common Romance Scams in Thailand
In a country known for beautiful women, it is not surprising that romance scams have flourished. And it doesn’t help that Thailand sees millions of tourists visiting each year, providing scammers with more potential victims. According to Road Genius, roughly 32.40 million tourists visited Thailand in 2024 alone. About half of that figure is men. As such, romance scams proliferate in the country.
What are some forms of romance scams to avoid in Thailand?
Blackmail or Extortion
Blackmail or extortion is a serious offense under Thai law. This method of scam not only affects the person’s finances but also damages a person’s mental health. This often happens when someone coerces you into doing explicit activities together while being recorded without consent.
The scammer proceeds to tell the victim to hand over a significant amount of cash as hush money. If the victim doesn’t do what the scammer says, they will proceed to blackmail the victim by threatening to expose them online.
If you have ever encountered a scammer trying to blackmail or extort you, do not hesitate to contact the local authorities, such as the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) of the Royal Thai Police, and the Anti-Online Scam Operation Center (AOC), to report what happened. You can also file a report on the Thai Hotline website (www.thaihotline.org) as an easier way to report the crime.
Sugar Baby Scam
Understandably, Thailand is an easygoing country, and its people are open to many kinds of relationships, one of which is the sugar baby setup. Many older tourists love the spunky and lively locals; hence, they wouldn’t mind having their own sugar baby.
Due to the lavish nature of sugar baby relationships, scammers take this as an opportunity to scheme against wealthy older men into spending and sending money. Like every romance scam, they will love bomb their victims into thinking they will be in a loving sugar baby relationship, but secretly, they’re just siphoning their money by pretending to be one.
Such scams aren’t limited to online experience; they can be operated through in-person tactics, such as baiting older men into withdrawing money and handing over the cash. Usually, these kinds of operations aren’t planned alone—it is usually an organized scam to ensure the victim gives them what they want.
To avoid sugar baby scams, it’s best to scrutinize their online profile or talk to them in person and get to know them better before trusting them with your money.
Catfishing
Scammers understand that Thailand is full of tourists looking for love and a unique romantic experience. They see this as an opportunity to score some cash without interacting in person.
Many dating apps, both local and international, are used daily in Thailand, and scammers blend in by creating fake profiles, claiming they are a real woman looking for love.
To ensure your safety against catfishers, always know who you’re talking to by analyzing their profile and information. Check for any inconsistencies, such as profile pictures or suspicious statements. Real women are not quick to jump the gun for love.
Fake Dating Sites
Many dating sites and apps advertise themselves with premium features, such as knowing who swiped right, who viewed your photos, and who has shown interest. In Thailand, there are plenty of Thai-specific dating apps for tourists to use.
Scammers set up fake dating sites, luring tourists with fake and attractive users into purchasing “premium packages” to chat with them. Once tourists realize that they’re either talking to a fake or a bot, they can no longer get their money back. These sites also contain phishing links that can steal your information and identity.
Avoid signing up for shady dating sites or apps; rather, always check for reviews in the App Store, forum discussions, and user reviews on YouTube to check the app’s legitimacy.
Other Thailand Scams and Bangkok Scams to Watch Out For
Aside from romance scams, tourists also need to watch out for other scams that don’t involve romance. In Thailand, scams have been plaguing both the tourism and dating culture, terrorizing innocent tourists by manipulating and stealing their money and identity.
If you are thinking about going around Thailand, look out for these kinds of scams—it’s crucial to have some familiarity in case you encounter one.
Phishing
What is phishing? According to IBM, phishing is a type of cyberattack that utilizes fake emails, text messages, phone calls, and even websites to convince people into sharing sensitive data or downloading malware.
How phishing works as a romance scam in Thailand is that whenever you’re on local dating sites or dating apps, a scammer will send you messages to tell you to leave the site and head over to a secret one-on-one chatting service through a link. They’ll tell you that they want to have a private conversation or give you an explicit show.
To avoid this scam, simply ignore all suspicious messages and links sent in the chat.
The Friendly Stranger
Whenever you’re walking around the streets of Bangkok or Phuket, beware of strangers who seem a little too friendly. While the scammer may be Thai, most of these “friendly” strangers are non-Thai residents; that’s why you need to be careful who you’re talking to.
What they will do is ask you a series of lighthearted questions, point out if you have any blemishes or flaws on your body, and then lead you to their shops. They try to bargain with you by asking a hefty price for their fake products, such as jewelry, herbal medications, or artwork.
In case you encounter this kind of scenario, your best option is to smile and move along.
Motorcycle Rental Scams
As tourists, you will want to go around the city without the hassle of booking ride-hailing apps, expensive taxis, or having to ride different buses. Which is why, for some tourists, it’s better to rent a motorcycle. However, you need to be careful with motorcycle rentals.
There are rental companies that track down where you’re staying and then use their duplicate keys to take the bike. The rental calls you up the next day and says the police have returned their bike. Because of that, the rental asks you to cough up money as a fee for improper use of the rental bike.
Another form of motorcycle rental scams is that the scammer will report you to the local authorities, saying that you caused an accident or left damage on someone’s property or vehicle.
Sadly, this is a common Bangkok scam that a lot of adventurous tourists face. To prevent this from happening, avoid renting from shady small-time rentals and rent from legitimate or big-name rental companies instead.
Always check their ratings, as well as the written contract. Take a photo or video of the rental unit or review the pictures they took of it. Never leave your passport as collateral—no rental company should ever ask you to leave your ID.
Money Changer Scams
In heavily congested areas like Phuket and Bangkok, one scam to be wary of involves money changers. While they seem like your normal money changer kiosks, they differ in that they ask you to surrender or borrow your passport to prove you’re a foreign national in exchange for a higher rate of exchange.
To avoid this type of scam, you have two options. One is to go to a bank, since they are regulated under the supervision of the Bank of Thailand. Another option is to head over to a reputable money changer, such as SuperRich Thailand or Vasu Exchange.
How to Recover From Being Scammed
Getting scammed in Thailand can turn your vacation in paradise into a nightmare. Just remember to calm down, and it’s okay to feel helpless. Understand that there is always a solution to your problem.
If you’ve been scammed, here’s what you can do:
- Your first course of action is to report to the local authorities, such as the Thai Tourist Police (hotline 1155) or the Royal Thai Police. You can also approach the Anti-Online Scam Operation Center (AOC) (hotline 1441); they are dedicated to online and financial fraud.
- Make sure to protect your finances, such as your bank accounts and credit cards. Immediately contact your bank’s fraud department and inform them of a transaction you didn’t consent to.
- Gather as much evidence as possible; screenshots, pictures, videos, written receipts—anything that relates to the transaction.
- Always remember to ask for a police report number; that way, you can always use the case number as a copy required by banks and embassies.
- If things haven’t been resolved, contact your embassy or consulate about the situation and ask what to do in the situation. If it involves your passports, they will be able to help provide replacements to help report the crime, recover any lost documents, and get you home safely.
No one deserves to get scammed, especially when you’re on a vacation. Stay informed so you can safely navigate Thailand’s tourist landscape.
Reference:
Kosinski, Matthew. n.d. “What is Phishing?” IBM. Accessed September 19, 2025. https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/phishing.