Been scammed by a rental shop? Here is what to do.
If a Pattaya rental shop is withholding your deposit or passport, or billing you for damage you did not cause, this is a calm, ordered plan for getting it resolved. Work through it in order.
Stay calm. Do not pay under pressure if you can avoid it, and do not let it turn into a physical confrontation. Gather your evidence, then call the Tourist Police on 1155 — English-speaking, around the clock — and ask them to help resolve a rental dispute. If your passport is being held, contact your embassy too.
Being on the wrong end of a rental dispute in a foreign country is stressful, and the shop is counting on that stress. The single most useful thing you can do is slow down. Almost nothing here has to be settled in the next five minutes, and the calmer and more methodical you are, the better the outcome tends to be.
The steps, in order
Stay calm and do not pay under pressure
Be polite and firm. Say clearly that you do not agree with the charge and want it in writing. If you genuinely can, do not hand over more money until the Tourist Police have been involved — once it is paid, it is far harder to recover.
Gather your evidence
Collect everything before you do anything else: the rental contract; your dated pickup and return photos and video; a photo of the shop, its sign and its location; screenshots of any messages; and the disputed amount and reason in writing from the shop. Note names and times.
Call the Tourist Police on 1155
This is the main step. The Tourist Police line has English-speaking officers, operates around the clock, and handles tourist disputes including rental disagreements. Explain the situation calmly and factually, say where you are, and ask them to help mediate. Their involvement alone resolves many disputes.
If your passport is held, contact your embassy
A withheld passport is serious. Alongside the Tourist Police, contact your country’s embassy or consulate — they deal with passport problems routinely and can advise on your situation. Do not leave Pattaya without your passport.
If you paid by card, contact your bank
If you paid a disputed charge by credit or debit card, your bank may be able to dispute or reverse it — ask about a chargeback as soon as you can, and have your evidence and dates ready.
Leave a record
Once you are safe and resolved, write down what happened while it is fresh, with the shop’s name and location. It helps you, and an honest account of a documented experience helps other renters avoid the same shop.
- Tourist Police — English-speaking, 24/7. Rental and tourist disputes.
- 1155
- Police — general emergency
- 191
- Medical emergency and ambulance
- 1669
- Your embassy or consulate
- Save the number before you travel
Making the Tourist Police call work
A few things help the call go well:
- Be calm and factual. Give the shop name, the location, what was agreed, what is being demanded, and what you have already paid.
- Have your evidence open. The contract and your photos, ready to show.
- Ask plainly for help to mediate. You are not necessarily reporting a crime; you are asking for an official, neutral presence to resolve a dispute.
- Stay where it is safe. A busy, public spot is fine to wait in.
About getting your money back
With dated evidence from pickup and the Tourist Police mediating, many renters do recover a withheld deposit or get an unfair damage charge dropped. It is not guaranteed — rental here is informal and outcomes vary — but evidence plus a calm, official approach gives you the strongest position. If you paid by card, the bank dispute route runs in parallel. And whatever the outcome, you will have an account that helps you choose better next time, and helps other renters too.
So it does not happen again
Once this is behind you, the four scam guides explain exactly how each play works and the habits — photos, video, reading the contract, never the passport — that stop them. A few minutes of preparation is all it takes to never be in this position again.
Common questions
What number do I call if a rental shop scams me?
Should I just pay to make it go away?
Can I get my deposit back after a scam?
Guide published 25 May 2026 by The Editors. This page is practical, editorial information for renters — it is not legal advice. Emergency numbers and procedures can change; for your specific situation, rely on the Tourist Police and your embassy or consulate.