Pattaya, Thailand – A 52-year-old German tourist filed a police report late Wednesday after allegedly being tricked into buying five bottles of herbal hair oil for an exorbitant 4,000 euros (approximately 140,000 baht) by a foreign vendor.
Mr. Nadir Altaf reported the incident at Pattaya City Police Station at 10:06 p.m. on November 12, 2025. He told investigators that while strolling through the city, he was approached by a man resembling someone from the Middle East who promoted a “miracle” herbal oil blend claiming to restore thick, dark hair.
Intrigued, Mr. Altaf followed the vendor to a nearby shop where he agreed to purchase five bottles. He said the price was vaguely quoted as “4,000,” which he assumed meant 4,000 baht. Only after swiping his credit card did he discover the charge was 4,000 euros.
“I felt cheated the moment I saw the amount,” Mr. Altaf told police. “This is unfair, and I want justice.”
Duty officer Lt. Phu Pha Hongyakun recorded the complaint and coordinated with investigation units to locate the shop and identify the seller. Authorities say they will pursue the case impartially.
Such scams are commonplace in Pattaya, occurring almost daily, police sources say. Many victims do not report the incidents, while others who do often recover their money after police intervention. Several shops have been raided and suspects arrested in recent years. The Pattaya News has published over a dozen similar stories since the scam began being publicized due to complaints from victims over a year ago.
However, the persistence of these frauds continues to damage Pattaya’s reputation as a premier tourist destination, prompting calls for stronger action from relevant authorities to curb the problem once and for all. This is the second public police report of the alleged scam in the past week as we reported HERE.
