An 11-year-old boy who says he and his family lost more than 1 million baht buying a rare Pokemon card is among at least 25 people who have complained to police over an alleged collectibles scam in Thailand. The group, accompanied by consumer advocate Tankhun Jitt-itsara, filed its complaint with the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) on Wednesday. They want action against a man identified only as "Mr Mor", who allegedly offered to obtain sought-after cards and other collectibles from overseas. Complainants told police their combined losses exceed 5 million baht. Trust built through early deliveries According to the victims, Mr Mor became trusted in Thailand's trading-card community by offering access to rare Pokemon cards and other valuable items from abroad. They said he initially supplied genuine products, allowing him to build a reputation before customers placed bigger orders. He allegedly later failed to deliver, blaming customs, tax and import issues, before ending contact and closing his Facebook trading page. A 15-year-old trader said successful early deals led collectors to recommend the seller within the community. The difficulties only began after buyers made larger purchases. A 22-year-old collector said he lost more than 120,000 baht after buying two high-value cards, priced at about 60,000 baht each. He said previous transactions had made a profit, leaving him with no reason to suspect the seller. A growing market draws young buyers Many of the complainants are young collectors who trade cards as a hobby or as a source of income. Thailand's expanding market has seen rare and limited-edition cards sell for hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of baht, drawing collectors and investors alike. High-value trading cards, including Pokemon, One Piece, sports cards and trading card games, were displayed at Extreme Card Fest Thailand at Chamchuri Square in Bangkok in June. Tankhun, president of the Santiprachadham Club, said the growing card business had attracted many young participants and called for stronger anti-fraud protections. He urged authorities to find the suspect and establish whether there are further victims. Picture courtesy of Bangkok Post Join the discussion? 20 August 2026
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