Bangkok (VNA) – Thai police onMarch 22 announced that they had arrested 20 suspects, including five Indians and15 Thais, for alleged involvement in a phone scam network preying on elderlyAmericans.
According to local police, the scammerswere arrested in Chon Buri, Rayong, Roi Et and Surat Thani on March 21, addingthat all five of the Indian suspects were men and 11 of the 15 Thais detainedwere women.
The police also seized 162 bank accountbooks, 61 mobile phones, two cars, one pistol, land title deeds and otherassets.
The investigation dates back to last year,when US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Secret Service agentsinformed Thai police that Indian cyber criminals and Thai nationals had set upa phone scam network to trick elderly people in US into transferring money tothem.
The fraudsters, pretending to be USlaw-enforcement officials, preyed on the fear of their victims by telling themthat they were being investigated for alleged money laundering. The callersthen demanded that they transfer money into their “mule” accounts if theywanted to have the cases settled without further litigation.
In some cases the victims were sent linkscontaining viruses, which allowed the scammers to take control of theirdevices.
General Torsak Sukwimol, Deputy NationalPolice Chief of Thailand, said that 72,000 phone scam cases were reportedbetween 2020 and 2021 with damage exceeding 3 billion USD. The US requestedhelp from Thailand with 365 cases.
According to the investigation, the gangused Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong (China), the UnitedArab Emirates, Peru and Poland as bases to receive money transfers fromvictims.
Further investigation is underway to arrestmore relevant suspects./.
According to local police, the scammerswere arrested in Chon Buri, Rayong, Roi Et and Surat Thani on March 21, addingthat all five of the Indian suspects were men and 11 of the 15 Thais detainedwere women.
The police also seized 162 bank accountbooks, 61 mobile phones, two cars, one pistol, land title deeds and otherassets.
The investigation dates back to last year,when US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Secret Service agentsinformed Thai police that Indian cyber criminals and Thai nationals had set upa phone scam network to trick elderly people in US into transferring money tothem.
The fraudsters, pretending to be USlaw-enforcement officials, preyed on the fear of their victims by telling themthat they were being investigated for alleged money laundering. The callersthen demanded that they transfer money into their “mule” accounts if theywanted to have the cases settled without further litigation.
In some cases the victims were sent linkscontaining viruses, which allowed the scammers to take control of theirdevices.
General Torsak Sukwimol, Deputy NationalPolice Chief of Thailand, said that 72,000 phone scam cases were reportedbetween 2020 and 2021 with damage exceeding 3 billion USD. The US requestedhelp from Thailand with 365 cases.
According to the investigation, the gangused Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong (China), the UnitedArab Emirates, Peru and Poland as bases to receive money transfers fromvictims.
Further investigation is underway to arrestmore relevant suspects./.
VNA
