Udon Thani teen arrested Poipet call centre scam involvement
An 18 year old woman from Udon Thani has been apprehended for working with a call centre gang in Poipet, Cambodia.
The woman, named Butsara, also known as Boat, admitted she needed money to make a living. Yesterday, February 17, reporters detailed that Butsara, a resident of Phon Sung, Chaiwan district, Udon Thani province, had been involved with the call centre operation and later sought assistance from Thai officials.
Fearing arrest due to an outstanding warrant, she initially hesitated to return home. However, the gang demanded 36,000 baht (US$1,000) for her release. Butsara eventually managed to return without her family paying the fee.
Police Colonel Ratphonchai Pensongkram, along with an investigative team, travelled to Nop Gao village, Phon Sung subdistrict, Chaiwan district, Udon Thani province, to arrest Butsara based on a juvenile court warrant from Nan province. She was taken into custody and handed over to local police for further legal proceedings.
Butsara shared her experience with the police, explaining that she did not willingly join the call centre gang. Initially, an acquaintance promised her a job at a bar in Chon Buri but she found herself in Cambodia by November of the previous year.
The gang, comprising over 200 Thai nationals, instructed her to deceive male victims online by posing as an attractive woman through chats on Line and Facebook. Butsara managed to extort around 50,000 baht (US$1,480) from a car parts dealer through these interactions.
Call centre
Despite the challenges, she was able to return home safely after her plea for help gained media attention on February 4. The gang, aware of the publicity, eventually let her go.
While working there, Butsara never faced physical abuse but was punished for not meeting targets by being forced to run up and down stairs from the first to the 10th floor. Her monthly earnings were 17,000 baht (US$505), but unexplained deductions left her with nothing, prompting her desire to return home.
Butsara expressed concerns about possible retaliation from the gang as they confiscated her phone, potentially tracking her via GPS. She revealed that the gang leader was believed to be Chinese, with Thai people acting as managers.
Those who failed to perform were often physically abused, including being beaten and subjected to electric shocks, reported KhaoSod.
Pol. Col. Ratphonchai stated that Butsara was arrested after a victim reported transferring money to her mule account to the Na Muen Police Station in Nan province. Following the issuance of a warrant, Butsara was detained.
Coordination with the Na Muen police is underway for her transfer, as the incident related to this case occurred on February 6 last year.
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