They ate at posh restaurants and invited customers to a property near Holland Grove which they said was their home - a triple-storey detached house complete with four luxury cars with a combined value of $1.5 million.
Singaporean Pi Jiapeng, 26, and his wife Pansuk Siriwipa - a 27-year-old Thai national - were often decked out in branded clothes and luxury watches.
Enticed by their lavish lifestyle, Max (not his real name) parted with $280,000 - the bulk of his life savings - for two Rolex watches and a Patek Philippe in April.
He never got them and made a police report earlier this month.
His was among more than 180 police reports filed since June against the couple, who are now on the run.
Max, 48, who works in manufacturing but does not want say how much he earns, recalled how waiters rushed to serve them when they had dinner at the upmarket Yakiniquest Japanese restaurant in Orchard Road in January.
“It was like they were royalty. Everyone working there knew them and were excited to see them,” said Max.
Ms Pansuk was carrying a handbag which costs upwards of $20,000.
“She carried a Hermes Birkin bag, he had stacks of Cartier bracelets on both his wrists and a brand new Rolex Daytona that he showed me,” said Max, who had known them for three months at that point.
Ms Pansuk, who Max knew as Ann, told him they dined at such places regularly.
“The bill came up to $700 for the three of us even though we did not order alcohol. I cannot imagine how much they spend a day on such classy food,” added Max, who insisted on paying for the meal.
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