THAILAND – An agriculture expert in central Thailand lost nearly all her savings to an online investment scam before a TikTok personality helped her verify and sell her remaining gold.
Follower lured into false investment promises
The woman, a longtime follower of TikTok user @Namobanchangtongdaengso0, described her ordeal in a livestream. A scammer had enticed her into a supposed advertising investment scheme.
“He said that if I invested 1,000 baht, I would get 200 baht back each time,”
said the distressed woman, explaining that the promise of a 20% return had been irresistible.
Her guiding thought became,
“I just kept thinking I had to somehow get it back,”
said the victim, who went on transferring more money until almost one million baht had disappeared.
Educated teacher undone by simple trick
Despite her education and years of work as a community teacher, the woman fell for the straightforward fraud. She had long helped others and had even given away her gold.
“For years I taught people how to live self-sufficiently,”
said the woman through tears, adding that she lacked resilience in her own life.
Her generosity became her undoing as the scammers ruthlessly exploited her trust.
TikTok personality steps in to help
She turned for help to TikTok figure Namo, known for his charitable work, asking him to check the authenticity of her remaining gold. The outcome was sobering: only a few pieces were genuine, weighing a total of 33.83 grams.
Their total value was about 109,274 baht (around 2,500 euros), just a fraction of the assets she had lost. The woman had already pawned the gold to cover debts and now hoped to sell it to settle at least part of what she owed.
Victim urges caution over online offers
“I don’t want pity,”
said the visibly shaken woman.
“I want others to be careful so they don’t end up like me.”
said the victim, appealing for people to learn from her mistakes and never place too much trust in unknown online offers.
Viral livestream sparks wave of support
Namo was so moved by her story that he immediately promised assistance. He vowed to help her recover and to raise awareness of online fraud.
The livestream went viral and triggered a wave of support, with many viewers sending messages of comfort and encouragement. For the woman, it was a rare bright spot:
“I have always helped others. Now I am getting a second chance – thanks to someone who helps me without asking for anything in return.”
said the victim.