A Chinese woman has accused an apartment broker in Bangkok of duping her into paying a fine of 110,000 baht for an immigration offence that turned out to be bogus.
Tian Xin, 31, accompanied by Pol Sgt Soragarn Sangsai of the Tourist Police Bureau, filed a complaint with Bang Rak police on Friday against Pawinee Khrainoonsing.
The Chinese woman, who is studying at a university in Bangkok, told police that she had rented an apartment from the owner through Ms Pawinee, 31, who acted as a broker.
Ms Tian said she signed a two-year rent contract and was asked to pay a deposit to Ms Pawinee. However, she later had a problem with the owner and the contract was cancelled.
When she asked for the return of her deposit, Ms Pawinee could not return it as the woman did not give the money to the owner, the Chinese woman said via an interpreter.
Shortly afterward, Ms Pawinee sent her a message with an “official” letter via the Line chat application. The broker said the letter was sent by the Immigration Bureau asking her to pay a fine of 110,000 baht for violating the immigration law regarding her stay in the country.
Ms Tian said she paid the money to Ms Paniwee out of fear that she might be investigated by immigration police.
When a Thai friend told her that the letter was not issued by the Immigration Bureau as claimed, she then sought help from the tourist police.
The case reportedly was not the first of its kind involving Ms Pawinee. Chinese national Liu Chun Hu, 40, earlier filed a complaint accusing the broker of swindling him out of 960,000 baht for a condominium unit purchase. After the payment was made, the woman fled, Thai media reported.
