Police Rescue Two University Students from Call Center Scam
Police rescued two university students from a call center scam in Pathum Thani after they were defrauded of over 600,000 baht through impersonation threats and forced isolation.
Investigating officers from Pak Khlong Rangsit Police Station raided and rescued two students from a prestigious university who fell victim to a call center gang after being defrauded in an extortion scheme and losing over 600,000 baht.
On July 16, 2569, Pol. Col. Pattanchai Phamorpibul, commander of Pak Khlong Rangsit Station, coordinated with deputy commander Pol. Lt. Siraphop Bualuang, Pol. Lt. Itthiphon Phuttharaksaa, and investigating officers, alongside Pol. Lt. Wichaya Phanthngam from Phra Thinang Chulalongkorn Police Station and his team. After receiving reports that students were being intimidated, threatened, and forced to isolate themselves in their rooms with a ban on contacting anyone outside, officers urgently descended on the scene to investigate and trace the suspects. Using investigation techniques, they successfully located and rescued both victims safely.
The first victim is Ms. Prim (pseudonym), 18 years old, a first-year Digital Art student at a prestigious university, found confined in a condominium room in Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani Province. The second victim is Ms. Praow (pseudonym), also 18 and a first-year Digital Art student at the same university, who was held in a daily-rental apartment in the Phaholyothin area.
Pol. Lt. Siraphop Bualuang, deputy commander of the station, revealed the modus operandi of the criminal gang. Initial questioning revealed a deceptive process designed to extort victims by telephone, frightening them and creating panic. The perpetrators called the victims and impersonated officials from Muang Khon Kaen Police Station, threatening them that their personal information was linked to serious criminal cases. This was meant to create panic and fear, forcing the victims to isolate themselves from society. The criminals ordered them to avoid all outside contact and forced them to flee their normal residences, hiding in various locations. Ms. Prim was ordered to confine herself in the condominium room, while Ms. Praow was instructed to rent a daily-rental room and hide in an apartment.
Both victims, believing the threats, transferred their personal funds to bank accounts controlled by the criminal group. Ms. Prim lost 500,000 baht, and Ms. Praow lost 100,000 baht, totaling 600,000 baht in losses.
Initially, officers brought both victims in for questioning at Phra Thinang Chulalongkorn Police Station and notified their parents to file a formal complaint as evidence with Pol. Maj. Rapeepong Boonpuanphan, deputy superintendent (Investigation) of the station. The investigating team will expand the investigation, trace the money transfers to the mule accounts, expedite the issuance of bank account freezing orders, and pursue the arrest of the perpetrators for prosecution.
Ms. Prim and Ms. Praow described how the criminals first called them, posing as a telecommunications network employee. They claimed someone had used the victims' names and personal information to open a new phone number in Khon Kaen Province, which was being used illegally in connection with gambling cases. They then claimed the matter had been forwarded to someone posing as a police officer who conducted further investigation. The alleged officer then informed them that their names were linked to a money laundering case involving a person nicknamed "Fluke." They claimed to have discovered a bank account book belonging to the victim's friend at the crime scene, creating a supposed connection between the two individuals, alleging previous money transfers between accounts.
