CCTV captures suspected short-change scam targeting Phuket shops
Phuket – Local shopkeepers in Phuket have raised alarms after a foreign man, described as resembling an Indian national, was caught on CCTV using a deceptive cash-exchange trick to swindle small businesses. The…
Shopkeepers in Phuket have reported a suspected short-change scam after CCTV footage showed a foreign man using a cash-exchange trick to cheat small businesses on May 5, 2026. Merchants said the suspect, described as resembling an Indian national, buys a low-cost item such as a bottle of water for 10 baht and then pays with a 1,000-baht note to start the deception.
How the scam works at the counter
After the cashier checks the 1,000-baht note and prepares change, the man allegedly creates confusion by changing his order and asking for different items or denominations of change. Sellers said he may ask for a larger bottle, a cold one, multiple items, or different notes and coins.
He then asks for the original banknote back and secretly keeps it while continuing to act as if payment has already been made. The method is widely known as a short-change scam.
Losses reported and calls for police complaints
One shop owner told The Phuket Express he unknowingly handed over 980 baht in change before later realizing the 1,000-baht note was gone. He said he first thought he had misplaced the money, then reviewed security footage and discovered he had been tricked.
Other shops across Phuket have since reported similar incidents, leading merchants to believe the suspect may be a repeat offender. Authorities and fellow shopkeepers are urging every victim to file a police report, saying the total losses add up even when each individual amount appears small.
One shopkeeper said the scam is especially damaging to vendors who rely on day-to-day income and called for stronger vigilance and cooperation among businesses. People experienced with short-change scams advise cashiers to close the drawer once confusion begins, verify each transaction separately, call a manager if needed, and recount the till before proceeding.
Source: https://thephuketexpress.com/2026/05/05/foreign-short-change-artist-possibly-indian-targets-phuket-shops-and-brings-police-attention/
