Gang posing as electricity officials steals 228,700 baht via app

Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) Officers apprehended a gang posing as electricity officials, tricking victims into installing an app that drained their bank accounts. Victims were deceived into scanning their faces, resulting in a loss of over 200,000 baht. The cunning method highlights the growing sophistication of online scams.

Police Lieutenant General Worawat Wattanakornbancha, CCIB Commissioner, Directed Police Major General Statit Prom-Uthai, Commander of CCIB Division 3, and Police Colonel Adhichat Amornpradit, Superintendent of News Analysis and Special Tools, CCIB Division 3, to execute an arrest warrant issued by the Maha Sarakham Provincial Court.

The warrant, No. 221/2024, dated August 8 led to the arrest of 43 year old Yuwadi (surname withheld) in front of her residence in Moo 9, Khao Phra subdistrict, Doembang Nangbuat district, Suphan Buri province.

Yuwadi faces charges of conspiring to steal property by impersonation and fraudulently introducing false computer data into a computer system, causing potential damage to others or the public.

The investigation revealed that on July 30, last year, the suspect called the victim, who was driving home in Kosum Phisai district, Maha Sarakham province. The caller inquired if the victim had registered for an electricity bill discount. The victim replied that he had not and ended the call.

The following day, the victim’s wife discovered a Line account named Provincial Electricity Authority on her husband’s phone. The account sent promotional images and messages about government electricity bill assistance, asking if they had registered for the benefit. The victim’s wife replied, “Not yet received the benefit.” The scammer, posing as an electricity official, requested information and the victim’s phone number.

Subsequently, a man claiming to be from the Provincial Electricity Authority called, asking the victim’s wife to complete a registration process via line. The wife was instructed to click a link provided by the scammer and fill in the required information. The scammer then asked her to scan her husband’s face twice with the phone. Trusting the scammer, she complied.

The scam went unnoticed until the victim attempted to withdraw money from an ATM, discovering that 228,700 baht had been transferred out of his bank account. He promptly reported the incident to the authorities.

The police have now detained Yuwadi, transferring her to the CCIB Division 3 investigators for legal proceedings, reported Khaosod.