Notorious scammer behind 3 million baht online fraud arrested in Thailand

A notorious scammer has been arrested for deceiving people through online sales. The 31 year old man, known as Pop Bueng Sam Phan, allegedly conned around 3 million baht (US$85,599) from his victims, who complained to the police and prompted an investigation. The suspect has a history of criminal records spanning the past six years, including prior arrests for drug-related offences and deception.

Pop’s arrest took place at B.E. Agriculture Farm in Lopburi province yesterday. The suspect, whose real name is Nophasorn, has been involved in multiple online scams since 2017. He reportedly deceived around 30 victims per month, causing a total financial loss of more than 3 million baht over six years. Some of the fraudulent items he claimed to offer included mobile phones, laptops, cameras, projectors, rare books, and band merchandise. He said…

“It started with selling duplicate items from different genres, such as mobile phones, laptops, cameras, projectors, films, rare novels, and various band shirts, that he found pictures of on the Internet without any real products.”

During his confession, Pop claimed to have only completed a Grade 9 education, initially working as a hotel employee in the Phetchabun area. At 25, he relocated to Nonthaburi and began selling goods at a local market. After facing financial challenges and losing his investment, Pop turned to selling items on Facebook, targeting numerous individuals without providing the actual product after payment. The majority of the ill-gotten gains were reportedly spent on living expenses, travel, drugs, and taking care of his cats, reported KhaoSod.

According to the National Police Office’s database, Nophasorn has four criminal cases, involving drug-related charges and fraud. Following the arrest, the police handed him over to investigating officers at the San Phrik Thai Police Station in Pathum Thani province for legal proceedings. A police spokesperson said…

“It turned out that after more than 3 million baht worth of damage in 6 years, most of the money was spent on daily life, travelling, drug addiction, and taking care of cats.”