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Thai and Indian couple allegedly scammed Americans of over 3 billion baht (video)

Tara AbhasakunPublished: 10:12, 22 March 2023| Updated: 10:21, 22 March 2023

3,079 1 minute read

Thai and Indian couple allegedly scammed Americans of over 3 billion baht (video) — Thai and Indian couple arrested for allegedly scamming Americans, photo by The Pattaya News.

Thai and Indian couple arrested for allegedly scamming Americans, photo by The Pattaya News.

A Thai and Indian couple allegedly scammed Americans of over 3 billion baht. Police arrested the couple after raiding a house in Bang Lamung district in Pattaya yesterday at around 10am.

Officers raided that house following a notification from the US Embassy stating that the house was being used as a hideout by scammers. The raid was conducted by a commando unit and officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB)

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Deputy National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimol said that he had arrested an unidentified Indian national between 50 and 60 years old, and his Thai wife who was between 40 and 50 years old. The couple is accused of tricking numerous American citizens out of over 3 billion baht in total damages, and the two fled to Pattaya, according to the US Embassy.

Gen. Torsak said police seized several car keys, bank account books, smartphones, and weapons from the two suspects, The Pattaya News reported. A press briefing was set to start at 10am today, to provide further details about the case.

Scams are unfortunately common in Thailand.

Last week, police arrested a former Thai model for creating an online investment scam that stole over 100 million baht from victims. Wetika Jaija was arrested in the San Sai district of Chiang Mai at a residential address. The 30 year old Wetika was charged with obtaining loans amounting to public cheating, entering false computer system data into a computer system and fraud.

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Also last week, a Thai man posing as a police officer was arrested in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya province. The fake cop used his uniform to appear trustworthy but was in fact scamming people all over central Thailand. The “policeman” said he took the dirty money to gamble in Poipet, Cambodia and would return to scam people again after gambling it all away.

In yet another scam last week, police arrested a Nigerian man in Pattaya under suspicion of catfishing and romance scamming several Thai women online, with damages amounting to 300,000 baht.

Thai police said there were over 400 reports of romance scams in January.

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Tara Abhasakun

A Thai-American dual citizen, Tara has reported news and spoken on a number of human rights and cultural news issues in Thailand. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in history from The College of Wooster. She interned at Southeast Asia Globe, and has written for a number of outlets. Tara reports on a range of Thailand news issues.