Bangkok woman arrested for mule account scam involvement
Illicit transfers expose deeper role in expanding financial fraud web
A significant arrest was made by the Metropolitan Police Bureau 3, who apprehended a 28 year old woman for her involvement in a mule account scam.
Phannipa Phienamkot or Nong Paeng confessed to knowing she would eventually be caught, as multiple arrest warrants were issued against her, one of which was displayed prominently at her residence. Phannipa was captured at 5pm yesterday, May 8, in a shopping centre car park on Srinakarin Road, Prawet district, Bangkok.
The arrest stemmed from an investigation into a group of fraudsters who carried out online scams, causing significant damage to the public. These scams, which often involve mule accounts, have become a top priority for police across various stations.
In this scheme, people are lured to open bank accounts in their names, providing access details to the scammers in exchange for monetary compensation or profit sharing. These accounts are then used for illegal transactions.
The Bank of Thailand has categorised mule accounts into colour-coded risk levels to facilitate a broader crackdown. These categories are: black for accounts identified by the Anti-Money Laundering Office, dark grey for those reported by victims, light grey for accounts not yet reported, dark brown for those believed by financial institutions to be involved in scams, and light brown for those suspected by financial institutions.
In the case handled by the Metropolitan Police Bureau 3, many victims had already filed complaints, enabling the police to gather evidence and secure three arrest warrants. Phannipa, who was employed at a shopping mall in the Srinakarin area, was caught following these investigations.
Mule account
She admitted to selling numerous bank accounts to a group that advertised on Facebook, offering 1,500 baht (US$45) for each account. The purchased accounts were then used for online fraud. Phannipa acknowledged her impending arrest, as she was informed of multiple warrants posted at her home.
One of the arrest warrants from the Min Buri Criminal Court related to a scam using a Facebook page, THAI CRF, which advertised part-time work opportunities. Victims were deceived into thinking they could work from home and were lured into paying membership and insurance fees via a line account Pim Deephapha.
Another Line account, Niracha, posed as an admin requesting payment. Victims transferred funds into Phannipa’s account multiple times, totalling 4,576 baht (US$140).
The Ang Thong Provincial Court warrant involved a scam inviting victims to invest in foreign stock trading via Facebook. Initially, victims could withdraw small investments, but as investments grew, they were told they were not VIP members, preventing withdrawal.
The system then claimed the victim’s bank account number was incorrect, freezing their funds and demanding further payments for account upgrades and security fees. The scam culminated in a total loss of 313,902 baht (US$9,475) for one victim, reported KhaoSod.
The Nan Provincial Court warrant pertained to a part-time job scam where victims were misled into paying 24,990 baht (US$755) as a deposit for a job they never completed, followed by a demand for an additional 80,000 baht (US$2,415), which the victim refused to pay. This scam resulted in a loss of 24,990 baht (US$755). Phannipa was handed over to the Min Buri police for legal proceedings.
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