Thai boy, 11, loses one million baht chasing rare Pokémon card

In a recent twist of events in Bangkok, an 11-year-old boy has lost over 1 million baht following a scam linked to the search for a rare Pokémon card, and he is not alone. At least 25 others have filed complaints at Bangkok’s Economic Crime Suppression Division, accusing a man only known as “Mr Mor” of duping them out of a combined total of at least 5 million baht.

Mr Mor capitalized on Thailand’s thriving trading card market by promising to source rare Pokémon cards and other valuable collectibles from abroad. Initially, victims received genuine cards on time, which led to word-of-mouth referrals within the collector community. However, as orders grew larger, Mr Mor began employing excuses involving customs issues, tax problems, and import delays before vanishing and taking down his Facebook trading page.

A particularly concerning aspect of the scam emerged once buyers began wiring larger sums for high-value cards. A 22-year-old collector admitted to losing more than 100,000 baht, after being enticed by earlier profitable transactions. Event organizer Chatchanapong Kaewthong warned collectors to verify seller credibility, product origins, and transaction histories, rather than relying on personal rapport or promises of insider access.

Consumer advocate Tankhun Jitt-itsara, president of the Santiprachadham Club, called for enhanced safeguards in a market where limited-edition cards can fetch millions of baht. Authorities were urged to locate Mr Mor and investigate whether additional victims remain unidentified.