How to Recover From Being Scammed
Thailand scams have been ruining the tourist experience, as well as the local tourism businesses that thrive off local and international travelers. According to Nation Thailand, six in ten Thais were scammed in 2024, totalling 110 billion baht in losses—damaging the nation’s tourism economy.
Here and there, you’d find people filing a police report because of scammers. While it is uncommon to see scams happening in broad daylight, the reality is that scammers are willing to do anything to get your money.
Fraud and catfishing are common romance scams in Thailand that have plagued the country for years. As tourists and international travelers, be aware of these incidents to make your trip memorable and enjoyable.
However, sometimes fate can be a little cruel, and you do get scammed. Being scammed leaves you feeling confused, betrayed, and even discouraged; it creates emotional damage that one often feels embarrassed to talk about.
How should you handle this? If you ever do get scammed on your trip, you must learn how to recover from being scammed in Thailand.
It Might Be a Scam: Identifying Fraud
Scammers blend in with the crowd; they are hidden in plain sight. Identifying a scammer and a genuine person can be difficult, especially because of how advanced technology is today. People can download another person’s profile picture or generate AI images that are deemed life-like.
Scary? Yes, it is, especially if you are the victim. But with awareness and knowledge of the common romance scams, you will be able to find yourself on the road to recovering your stolen money.
So, what are the common romance scams in Thailand that you need to be aware of?
Catfishing
Catfishing is one of the most common yet effective types of romance scams. It involves a scammer baiting another person using a fake persona to lure the victim for either love, money, or information.
While catfish scammers prefer to victimize older single men because of their age, wealth, and vulnerability, that doesn’t mean everyone else is safe from their reach. Love and lust are their main weapons for attracting victims.
Identifying a Catfish Scam
Understandably, dating apps and other social media platforms require a verification system to prove authenticity. However, scammers can still find a way to bypass security measures. Look out for the following discrepancies that indicate a catfish:
- AI-Generated Pictures
- Love Bombing Behavior
- Inconsistent Cropped Profile Pictures
- Incomplete Bio/Profile Information
- Escalating Intimacy
- Lack of Verification Badge (if applicable)
- No Willingness to Prove Identity
Fake Meetup Scams
While a “Meetup scam” isn’t technically a form of scam, it is a type of tactic scammers use to convince victims they are real. They set up convincing profiles and tell you to switch to another messaging platform.
They may request monetary favors and promise their victims a meetup as a tactic to pressure them into sending money.
Identifying a Fake Meetup Scam
Dating apps and services are designed to help strangers transition from online to in-person meetups. It is normal for people to feel hesitant about setting up a meetup; it normally takes several days of consistent communication to approve a small date.
Unlike genuine daters, meetup scammers will quickly persuade you to send money with promises of in-person meetups or romantic encounters. Be careful of promises with no concrete guarantees.
Lost Money from a Romance Scam? Here are the Steps to Recover
The government is particularly concerned about fraud, extortion, and trafficking. According to Nation Thailand, Thailand has become a strategic hub for criminal organisations, with syndicates turning the country into a key operational corridor for their activities.
Because of this, it’s important to know how you should recover both your money and peace of mind from romance scams in Thailand. Follow these steps to report a scam and properly handle the recovery process.
Collect Yourself
Being a victim of a romance scam is not easy, especially when you’re in a foreign land far away from your friends and family. The first step towards recovery is to collect yourself and regain self-control. You may have lost money; don’t let them take your emotional sanity as well.
You can’t think clearly after being scammed, so what you need to do is to calm yourself down and assess the situation. If you feel lost and alone, don’t think twice about calling your family or friends back home. They can provide you with the emotional support you need so you can gather your composure and focus.
Counter panic with a simple, grounding phrase like, “I can handle this.” Once you’re good and steady, redirect your focus back to the task at hand—recovering what you’ve lost.
Gather and Document Your Evidence Carefully
If you were scammed, don’t worry, it’s okay to feel bad or embarrassed about it. What’s important is recovering what you possibly can. Since most romance scams are online-based, you must document transactions, screenshot conversations, and note who is involved.
Notify Your Bank
It is important to quickly notify your bank of the scam; this increases your chances of recovering lost funds. This helps verify the recipient and determine whether the transaction is legitimate.
Ask your bank about stop-payments, reversals, disputes, or initiate an investigation. At the same time, if your credentials were shared, ask them to temporarily block your card/account.
File a Police Report Promptly
In Thailand, file a police report through the proper channels by calling the Thai Tourist Police at 1155 and reporting the scam. The hotline offers multilingual support (English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian). If you have difficulty reaching the hotline, you can submit your complaint online through their website www.thaipoliceonline.com
Reporting promptly to the local authorities not only gives you a chance at recovering your stolen funds but also alerts the authorities to take immediate action. This step helps contribute to preventing future scams.
Notify Your Embassy of the Romance Scam
As a foreign national, it is best to inform your home country’s embassy or consulate as soon as possible if you want thorough assistance from the Thai authorities.
While they can’t give you legal advice or directly help recover stolen money, the embassy will be on alert to assist various Thai government agencies.
Seeking Legal Counsel From a Local Fraud Lawyer
Because scams are not a one-way tactic, some scammers present themselves as a helpdesk for recovering your stolen funds. This is what you call a “recovery scam.” It is best that you try to recover lost money through legal processes.
After reporting the incident to the embassy, seeking legal counsel from Thai attorneys specializing in fraud and financial security is your best option in ensuring safety for your assets and personal data.
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A romance scam in Thailand shouldn’t define your experience or stop you from traveling altogether. Scams are present in every country, and feeling embarrassed or frustrated is normal; your feelings are valid and acknowledged.
What matters is how to recover from being scammed without directly engaging the scammers. Recovery may take a long while, but better the long and narrow road of the legal justice system than taking the vigilante road of revenge, or worse, wallowing in self-pity and drifting into depression.
At the end of the day, money isn’t the only thing you need to recover from a scam; reclaiming your emotional sanity is just as important.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a dating profile is fake?
What is a "recovery scam"?
Can the Thai Tourist Police help me in English?
What should I do if I shared bank details?
References:
“Six in ten Thais have fallen victim to scams, causing record losses of 110 billion baht.” 2025. Nation Thailand. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40058129.