Indian visitor says Pattaya scam lured him into paying a fortune for ‘herbal’ hype

What began as a casual evening stroll turned into an expensive lesson for a 45-year-old Indian tourist visiting Pattaya.

The man has filed a police report after realising he may have been tricked into buying what he believes were wildly overpriced herbal products, a situation authorities say fits a familiar pattern targeting foreign visitors.

According to his account, the incident unfolded around 8:30 p.m. as he walked along Pattaya Second Road near Soi Marine Plaza. He said a group of about four foreign men struck up a friendly conversation, appearing approachable and helpful. After several minutes, the conversation shifted to herbal mixtures and medicines, with the men positively endorsing products they asserted could cure loss of hair.

Thinking that their information was true and their endorsement was done in good faith, the traveller decided to go with them, get inside a shop selling herbal products. Inside, he said he felt persuaded to buy two 200-millilitre bottles of an herbal mixture blended with coconut oil, along with a smaller bottle of pure coconut oil. Only later did the shock sink in—the total price came to 43,400 baht (S$1,780).

It wasn’t until he had time to think it over that doubts crept in. The charges appeared far too high, and the products didn’t correspond to the value he had been led to believe. Feeling uncomfortable and deceived, he went to Pattaya City Police Station in the early hours of Jan 3 to file his complaint, bringing the products with him as proof.

Police have since confirmed they are investigating the case and working to identify those involved. Officers say the incident closely mirrors other complaints filed in Pattaya over the past year, where tourists have described being lured into buying so-called “miracle” herbal products promising everything from hair regrowth to weight loss—often at hugely inflated prices.

While authorities have carried out raids on businesses linked to similar scams in the past, reports continue to emerge in busy tourist areas.

Police are now prompting tourists and even domestic travellers to stay vigilant and careful, particularly when strangers try to make conversation and become very friendly, then start presenting and endorsing unsought health or fitness products. They warn that a welcoming conversation can occasionally lead to an expensive no-win situation.