The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau has warned women of a fraudulent online matchmaker service that offers to find them attractive foreign lovers, and instead rips them off.
CCIB spokesman Pol Col Kissana Phathanacharoen said on Wednesday many women had filed complaints about being deceived by 'Mae Sue Online" (online matchmaker), which had about 150,000 followers on Facebook.
The page offered to find them potential foreign lovers, charging a range of fees.
"The charges included 20,000 baht for a foreigner who is a civil servant or engineer, 30,000 baht for a property developer, 50,000 baht for a doctor or pharmacist and 100,000 baht for a vineyard owner," Pol Col Kissana said.
The page administrator also offered to develop profiles for clients at 7,000 baht a time, and to coach them in finding a foreign lover for 5,000 baht.
Clients received photos of attractive likely matches, which later turned out to be pictures of a famous actor, athlete or businessman. That was when the complainants finally realised they had been fooled, Pol Col Kissana said.
From March 1 to Sept 17 about 2,600 people fell victim to the scam, and they formed 0.80% of all scam victims who filed complaints online and claimed to have lost about 881 million baht in total, the spokesman said.
Public fraud carries a maximum prison term of five years and/or fine of 100,000 baht, he said.