More than 80 people have filed a police complaint in Bangkok, alleging that a recruitment company took money for jobs in Canada and Finland that never materialised.
The group visited the Central Investigation Bureau's complaint centre on 14 August to speak with investigators from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division. They claim combined losses exceed 20 million baht.
According to the complainants, the company offered fruit-picking and packing work in Canada and Finland, collecting fees from people hoping to travel abroad for employment.
How the alleged scheme unfolded
One victim representative said the group initially contacted the company through its Facebook page, which appeared credible. They were then added to a Line chat to discuss the jobs and were invited to an interview and document submission at an office in the Don Mueang area.
The representative said a Canadian man was present during the interview process. After applicants were told they had passed, the company allegedly requested 12,500 baht for processing a tourist visa.
Applicants were also told to create a new email address for the visa application. They were given appointments to submit documents and provide biometric information at VFS in the Rama 9 area, the representative said.
The group said they later received emails saying their visas had been approved and were sent their passports back. They then transferred a further 65,000 baht in instalments.
The company also reportedly promoted what it described as favourable foreign-currency exchange rates. Several victims said they exchanged and held money through the offer.
Office found empty before departure
In early August, the representative visited the Don Mueang office to monitor developments but found no one there and the contents had been removed.
An administrator of the recruitment page reportedly said the premises were being renovated. However, the complainants said they later discovered it had only been a temporary rental site.
As the intended departure date of 17 August 2026 approached, the group said it repeatedly sought airline tickets and travel details but received no answers and could no longer contact company staff. They said this convinced them that the processing fees had been taken fraudulently.
Most of those reporting the case are from provincial areas, including Chiang Rai, Chumphon and the Northeast. Several said they had borrowed money to cover the costs, hoping overseas wages would support their families, but were left in debt without travelling.
Picture courtesy of Daily News
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16 August 2026
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