In the bustling heart of Nonthaburi, where urban dreams and realities converge, a young engineering student’s pursuit for affordable housing ended in a heartrending twist of fate. Siwakorn, a diligent and hopeful 26-year-old, found himself at the centre of a deceptive scam that stripped him of every baht he had meticulously saved for a new home. Clutching his evidence, he stepped into the Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station this week, determined to unravel the con that had taken his dreams for a spin.
“I just wanted to save money on rent,” Siwakorn lamented, the disbelief still echoing in his voice. “Instead, I lost everything.”
Like many university students striving to manage their expenses, Siwakorn ventured into the labyrinth of Facebook to hunt down a reasonably priced abode. A post soon caught his attention—an inviting offer of a room priced at just 6,000 baht a month. It seemed too good to pass up, and on July 5, he reached out to a woman who introduced herself as “Jennis Condo” over LINE. Claiming ownership of the property, Jennis arranged a meeting for the following day to inspect the room. Enticed by the allure of affordability wrapped in a promise of legitimacy, Siwakorn succumbed to the optimism and agreed to pay a 12,000 baht deposit alongside the first month’s rent upfront.
With eagerness riding on his shoulders, he transferred a total of 18,000 baht via e-wallet. Later that evening, a delivery rider arrived with the keys and a keycard, seemingly sealing the deal. Siwakorn’s anticipation grew as he and his friend approached his new home at an hour close to midnight. But alas, reality hit like a freight train when they were met with a baffling court order plastered on the door, forbidding entry.
“I was terrified,” Siwakorn recalled with a shiver of lingering shock. “I had already left my old place, so I had nowhere to go.”
Panic surged as he reached out to Jennis, hoping for clarity amidst chaos. Her reassurances were fleeting and deceitful, for mere moments later, she blocked him on every possible platform. Realizing he had been ensnared in a clever ruse, Siwakorn hastened to document their exchanges and headed straight to file a police report.
“I’m determined to see this through,” he declared with a steely resolve. “I don’t want anyone else to lose their savings to scammers like this.”
The local police are now deep into their investigation, with a promise to summon the account holder linked to the monetary transfer. Should this individual be implicated in the fraudulent activity, they will face the wrath of the law, charged with fraud. The police have duly warned the public to exercise heightened caution when engaging in online property transactions, particularly those curated via the vast expanse of social media.
“This kind of fraud is becoming more common,” a police spokesperson remarked gravely. “Always verify ownership documents and never pay deposits before confirming the legitimacy of the landlord.”
While Siwakorn grapples with the aftermath of this deceit, his story serves as a poignant reminder to the community. In a world where digital trust can sometimes be scarce, vigilance is the ally that can dismantle the vicious cycle of scams.
This story is so heartbreaking! How could people be so heartless to scam a student?
Unfortunately, these scams are happening more and more these days. Always triple-check before making any transactions online.
You’re right. I guess we all just need to be more cautious, but it’s still infuriating that this happens.
Should’ve seen that scam coming from a mile away. Facebook deals that sound too good usually are.
Poor guy, he just wanted a place to stay. The system should protect people like him more.
It’s not the system’s job to babysit people. We should take responsibility for our own actions.
That’s a harsh take. Sure, personal responsibility is key, but we can’t ignore systemic failures either.
Why didn’t he check the legal status of the property first? Seems like an oversight on his part.
It’s sad how scammers always prey on those who are vulnerable and trying to get by in life.
Exactly! They’re the scum of the earth, making it harder for honest people to trust others.
Why isn’t there a better system to catch these scammers? We need more than cautionary tales.
Maybe because catching them is harder than telling people to be careful. But yes, more accountability is needed.
Definitely, it should be a priority for law enforcement to clamp down on these crooks.
He really should have done more research, but at the same time, it’s a shame these scammers are so convincing.
Scammers have been honing their craft for years. It’s an uphill battle for anyone unsuspecting.
Hope the police are able to find and make an example of this ‘Jennis Condo’.
Always use official channels when renting. I can’t stress this enough!
Another day, another scam artist. It’s almost like free money for these guys!
I read similar stories in the past. Seems like scams are more innovative than the solutions provided.
Six thousand baht? That’s just too good to be true. Always a red flag in my experience.
I hope Siwakorn gets his money back. This could really dissuade others from going through the same ordeal.
The police need stricter laws and better tracking on these platforms. Otherwise, this will continue.
It’s high time tech companies step in to make their platforms safer!
True, but they don’t want to lose users by enforcing strict rules.
Jennis Condo blocking him everywhere was such a low blow! It’s like adding insult to injury.
Why aren’t more educational initiatives out there to make people aware of such scams?
This type of news will never end. As long as there’s greed, there’s deceit.
Victims shouldn’t be blamed. Everyone’s trying their best to navigate complex systems.
Who would’ve thought even a rental deal could turn out so disastrous?