Russian arrested for exchanging counterfeit bills in Pattaya

A Russian tourist arrested for using a local man to exchange counterfeit euro bills for Thai baht at a currency exchange in Pattaya

Chonburi immigration officials arrested a Russian tourist after the tourist asked a local man to exchange counterfeit euro bills for Thai baht at a currency exchange office in Pattaya.

The Russian, 29-year-old Abdulhakim Hasanov, was arrested at noon on July 8 after a 41-year-old Pattaya resident named Tom reportedly exchanged European currency for Thai baht at the request of a Russian national. A short time later, Tom was contacted by a currency exchange office reporting counterfeit bills, and the man realized he had been the victim of fraud.

In an interview with ThaiRath, Tom said that Abdulhakim Hasanov asked him to exchange money, saying he needed cash to pay for his hotel. Tom took the 50 euro bills to the exchange office and received 20,000 baht in cash, not realizing that the euro bills were fake.

Later, upon discovering the counterfeit, the exchange office staff contacted Tom to report the counterfeit bills. The deceived Thai claimed that he had exchanged the money at Hasanov’s request, which led to the Russian’s immediate arrest.

The Russian tourist was staying at a hotel on Pratamnak 6 soi when he was arrested by law enforcement officials. During a hotel room search, counterfeit banknotes worth 7,000 euros were found and seized.

During interrogation, the Russian said the fake banknotes were made in Turkey and belonged to his Turkish friend. His Turkish friend had previously successfully used fake banknotes to exchange more than 400 thousand baht.

According to Hasanov, the Russian asked his friend for fake banknotes worth about 7,000 euros, promising to share Thai baht with him if the exchange was completed.

Khasanov admitted that he tried to exchange the money at a bank in a shopping centre but was unsuccessful, so he asked Tom to exchange the money at a currency exchange office. The Russian arrived in Thailand on May 29 and planned to leave Thailand on July 9, but police managed to arrest the fraudster before he left.

Thailand, a popular tourist destination, also attracts criminals seeking to profit from foreigners’ gullibility. Local authorities are making significant efforts to combat counterfeiting and other types of fraud, but the responsibility for vigilance lies with the citizens themselves.

The Russian fraudster’s case reminds us to exercise caution in financial transactions, especially in unfamiliar countries. If you encounter suspicious currency or become a victim of fraud, contact local law enforcement immediately.