Police arrest Nigerian over Phuket-based ‘Nigerian Romance Scam’

A 38 year old Nigerian alleged ‘romance scammer’ has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly operating bank accounts and arranging money transactions. The unnamed man was operating out of Phuket.

The suspect is now being returned to Phuket, where an arrest warrant was issued on July 9 charging the man with conspiracy to commit fraud.

Immigration Police Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Sompong Chingdoung reports that police made the arrest on July 19 at a condominium in Bang Na district in Bangkok. During the raid they also seized 14 items of evidence, including several bankbooks, ATM cards and money transaction slips, as well as the suspect’s mobile phone.

The romance scam, by now well known, was perpetrated by a gang claiming to be white businessman, who feigned romantic intentions towards their Thai victims via social media. After earning their trust and affection online, the gang then offer the women gifts but tell to transfer funds into their bank accounts to pay for the import duties to release the expensive gifts (that don’t exist).

One victim in Phuket allegedly lost 897,400 baht to the scam. Police are now hunting for the accomplices of the 38 year old suspect.

Sompong said that investigators found that the suspect was using bank accounts that had been opened by Thai nationals in exchange for payments. The gang had opened a front company to transfer the money to accomplices overseas.

SOURCE: The Nation