In Thailand, a scheme to defraud Pokemon card collectors is under investigation, with an 11-year-old boy among the victims. The child transferred over 1 million baht (over $30,000) to a seller for a rare card but never received the order. This was reported by Malay Mail, citing Bangkok Post. At least 25 people have filed complaints with the Bangkok Economic Crime Division, and the total amount of damages exceeds 5 million baht, or approximately $152,000.
The suspect in the case is referred to as "Mr. Mor." According to the complainants, he built a reputation as a reliable intermediary, actually bringing rare cards and other collectibles from abroad. The first transactions were completed without complaints, and buyers received original items and recommended the seller to their acquaintances. Problems began when orders became larger and more expensive.
A 15-year-old trader told the police that the intermediary explained the delays by customs, taxes, and other import complexities. Then he stopped communicating and deleted the Facebook page through which he conducted trade. Another victim, a 23-year-old collector, estimated his losses at about 640,000 baht. According to him, before the seller disappeared, he was offered to buy a rare card featuring Umbreon at a price below market value, and several transactions had been successful before that.
Tournament organizer for collectible card games, Chatchanapong Kaewtong, advised collectors to thoroughly check counterparts before making large transfers: to study the seller's history and reputation in the community, the origin of expensive cards, and confirmations of previous transactions. Consumer rights advocate Tankhun Chit-itsara, who assisted the victims in filing complaints, urged law enforcement to locate the seller and determine if there are other victims of the scheme.
Expensive Pokemon cards are increasingly becoming targets for scammers amid rising prices in the collectibles market. In July, a person was arrested for paying with counterfeit cryptocurrency for a card worth over $24,000. Earlier, police arrested three suspects in a Pokemon card scam involving $320,000, where instead of cash, the seller was handed bags stuffed with paper.