Gold scam victims decline settlement deal, petition DSI

A group of over 30 people has lodged a complaint with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) over a gold-based investment scam which is believed to have cost them and others losses in excess of 200 million baht.

The group travelled from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok to request the DSI investigate the alleged scam.

Pol Capt Piya Raksakul, director of the DSI’s Bureau of Special Case Management, said the agency will take 15 days to process the petition and determine whether the case should be treated as a special investigation.

If deemed a regular case it will be forwarded to local police, he said.

One victim of the scam who asked not to be named said she began investing in it last October.

A man contacted her via Facebook claiming to be a representative of a gold shop who was looking for more business partners to invest in the gold trade, she said.

She initially put in 18,500 baht and received dividend payments every 10 days as promised of between 1,200 baht and 1,500 baht.

This encouraged her to deposit more money and find others to invest, she added.

The alleged representative cut contact with all of the investors after announcing the scheme would end over the New Year break at the end of December, the female victim said.

When the conned investors located him and visited his house, the man was found to be a musician and his wife a former nurse.

The couple offered to pay each victim 200,000 baht if they agreed to not pursue legal action. Some took the deal while others declined.