Police Arrest Scammers After Student Loses 2.5 Million Baht

University student tricked into handing over 2.5m baht to Thai and Chinese scammersLegacyA Thai man and a Chinese national from Macau were arrested in Bangkok and Pathum Thani after allegedly operating a call centre scam that tricked a university student into handing over 2.5 million baht. The suspects were identified as 25 year old Kachaphong and 40 year old Chan Lok Loi. Police said they were arrested following a report from the Government Savings Bank about suspicious transactions involving 19 year old university student Thanadon on October 3. Thanadon initially visited a Government Savings Bank branch in a shopping mall in Thanyaburi district, Pathum Thani, saying he wanted to withdraw 1.2 million baht from his Government Savings Bank lottery tickets after the ticket had gone missing. He presented a police complaint reporting the loss and other relevant documents. The bank accepted the documents and paid him 1.2 million baht in cash. Photo via Hone Krasae The student was later found handing the money to an alleged member of the call centre scam gang in the mall’s car park. Thanadon returned to the bank later that day with his savings account book and attempted to withdraw another 1.3 million baht. Bank employees noticed that he remained on a video call with another person and appeared anxious during the transaction. Suspecting that the student was being deceived or threatened, bank staff contacted police. Officers intervened and prevented the second withdrawal. Police then arranged an operation to arrest the person who had collected the first payment. Kachaphong was arrested at a car park in the area, with the 1.2 million baht in cash seized from him. Photo via DailyNews During questioning, Kachaphong reportedly confessed that his role was to collect cash and deliver it to a Chinese national in Huai Khwang district, Bangkok. Investigators arranged for Kachaphong to deliver the money at an agreed meeting point. Officers arrested Chan Lok Loi when he arrived to receive the cash. Chan reportedly told police that his role was to receive the money before passing it to another person who had allegedly ordered the collection. Police subsequently searched Chan’s accommodation in Huai Khwang district but found no additional illegal items. Photo via DailyNews According to police, Thanadon had been contacted by scammers posing as employees of AIS. They allegedly told him that his name had been used to register a telephone number involved in criminal activity. The scammers reportedly instructed the student to add them on LINE and make a video call. They then allegedly impersonated officers from Mueang Phichit Police Station and used a background resembling a police station to convince him that they were genuine police officers. Thanadon subsequently provided information about his assets to the scammers and withdrew money as instructed. Both suspects were charged with committing fraud against the public by impersonating another person. The offence carries imprisonment of between six months and seven years and a fine of between 10,000 and 140,000 baht. Similar news

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