Fake cops on patrol: Scammers spark surge in police calls

Scammers posing as police officers have been targeting residents, leading to a surge in calls to the Nonthaburi City Police Station over the past day. The callers, impersonating law enforcement officers, claimed to need to verify bank accounts, causing confusion and concern among the public.

Residents have been receiving calls from individuals falsely identifying themselves as Lieutenant Anchalee and Lieutenant Colonel Rattasart from the Nonthaburi City Police Station. The scammers alleged that the victims were involved in illegal money laundering activities and asked them to send their ID cards and add the officers online for further verification.

Throughout the day, Akrapong Detkul, the radio officer on duty, handled over 30 calls from worried citizens asking about the legitimacy of these claims. Akrapong confirmed that no officers by those names were employed at the station and informed the callers that these were fraudulent attempts by a call centre scam.

“People have been calling all day, checking if these officers are real. It’s clear that a call centre scam is behind this.”

The scam involved more than just phone calls. Victims from different provinces, including Lamphun and Chon Buri, reported losing money to the scammers. One Lamphun resident was defrauded of 40,000 baht (US$1,200), while another in Chon Buri was tricked into transferring 1,999 baht (US$60).

These victims contacted the Nonthaburi Police Station to verify the officers’ names, suspecting a scam. Luckily, some individuals were cautious enough to detect the fraud before losing any money, reported KhaoSod.

In another case, a woman from Sakon Nakhon fell victim to the scam, losing 90,000 baht (US$2,700). This incident was one of 34 reported to the Nonthaburi City Police Station in a single day, all related to the same fraudulent scheme.

In related news, a medical technician in Buriram fell victim to a call centre scam, losing over 20,000 baht after being tricked by someone posing as an electricity authority officer. The victim, 54 year old Yutthana shared his experience to warn the public and urge the government to improve security systems.