“Confusion Scam” Hits Phuket Restaurants as Foreign Suspect Targets Cashiers

Several restaurant owners in Phuket have reported falling victim to a suspected foreign scammer who used a “confusion trick” to steal cash during transactions.

One of the victims, a local restaurant owner named Benz Paitoon, shared his experience on Facebook on May 4, along with CCTV footage. According to him, the suspect entered his shop and bought a bottle of water priced at 10 baht, paying with a 1,000-baht note.

Out of caution, Benz checked the banknote using a verification device and confirmed it was genuine before preparing 990 baht in change.

However, the situation quickly became complicated. The man suddenly asked to switch to a larger bottle, then cancelled the order entirely. Benz returned the 1,000-baht note. Moments later, the customer changed his mind again and ordered two bottles of water. Amid the back-and-forth, Benz became disoriented and mistakenly believed he still had the original banknote. As a result, he handed over 980 baht in change without receiving any payment.

It was only after the suspect left that Benz realised the money was missing. After reviewing CCTV footage, he concluded that he had been deliberately misled.

Following his post, other business owners came forward with similar accounts. One food vendor said she was targeted by the same individual on the same day, while another restaurant owner reported losing 960 baht using a nearly identical scheme. She noted that the suspect arrived with two other foreigners but appeared to act alone during the scam.

Benz has since filed a formal complaint with Mueang Phuket Police Station and urged other affected businesses to report their cases. So far, authorities have not released any updates regarding the suspect’s identity or a possible arrest.

In a related incident, police recently detained a Thai woman accused of using distraction tactics to cheat convenience store staff. She reportedly concealed change and falsely claimed she had received the wrong amount in order to obtain more money. Authorities noted she had previously been arrested for the same offense before repeating the crime.