Gang deceives student in 10 million baht scam
Teen manipulated into smashing his mother’s safe and transferring more money
A gang of scammers who forced a 19 year old university student to video call for 24 hours and deceive his mother into smashing her safe for nearly 10 million baht have been apprehended.
The operation involved Thai and Chinese nationals. The arrest was made public today, on November 23 at the Technology Crime Suppression Division in Mueang Thong Thani by Police Lieutenant General Surapol Prembut, who instructed Police Major General Sarayut Chunnawat and Police Colonel Chakkrit Srirojankul to provide an update on the case.
The case involved ‘Nick,’ a 19 year old technical university student who fell victim to the scammers. They had gained his trust through phone conversations with his personal mobile number, ultimately leading him to smash his mother’s safe for nearly 10 million baht.
The scammers followed a familiar pattern, asking the victim to add their Line contact. Once added, they sent fake documents resembling those from various government agencies, including the Anti-Money Laundering Office and even cyber police.
The victim, due to his young age and introverted nature, struggled to discern the deceit. The scammers exploited this by claiming that he was under a court warrant and needed to testify in Bueng Kan province. Concerned for his mother’s potential legal implications, he complied with the scammers’ demands.
The incident began at noon on November 19 when the victim was convinced to skip his classes. He checked into a hotel room alone to avoid anyone noticing their scheme.
The scammers instructed him to return home, where he complied by emptying his mother’s safe, under the guise of a video call showing the valuables within. At 6pm the same day, he transported the valuables from Samut Prakan province to Bang Phlap municipality in Nonthaburi province.
Investigations revealed that the scammers had meticulously planned and executed the scheme in phases to acquire the victim’s assets. Later that night, the scammers reassured the victim that he had done the right thing and discouraged him from confiding in anyone.
On Thursday morning, November 20, they continued to manipulate him, leading him to transfer additional funds, claiming the previous amount was insufficient for verification. He used his mother’s phone to transfer several hundred thousand baht in four transactions.
The deception was uncovered when the mother noticed unusual money transfers and reported the scam to the Samut Prakan police station. Coordination with cyber police confirmed the organised nature of the scam, prompting the authorities to invite the mother and son to provide their statements.
Investigators examined CCTV footage and evidence at the reported drop-off location in Nonthaburi province. A Chinese national, responsible for collecting the valuables, was apprehended and questioned. The investigation is ongoing, with efforts to track down other perpetrators and recover the assets.
In recent news, a Thai university student in Udon Thani was left homeless after unknowingly allowing a Vietnamese classmate to use his bank account as a mule account in a scam.
The student, 22 year old Thongtae, lost access to his frozen account and was unable to pay dormitory fees, forcing him to sleep in a faculty common area. Police have yet to take action, and the university has offered no support as the investigation stalls.
The 10 million baht scam involved both Thai and Chinese individuals, and further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses, reported by KhaoSod.
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