Scam cable: Mukdahan officials cut off illegal Internet link to Laos
Mukdahan officials have blown the lid off a daring cross-border scam operation, dismantling illegal Internet cables stretching from Thailand into Laos across the Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.
In a move straight out of a thriller, these covert cables, buried around 5 kilometres deep into Laos, were reportedly fuelling deceitful scam rings, making Thai victims believe they were dealing with local operators.
National Broadcasting and Telecommunications commissioner, Police General Nathathorn Prousoontorn, unveiled this scandalous cable connection, laid by a company only permitted to operate within Thailand’s borders.
“Our NBTC sleuths used hi-tech gear to trace these cables, discovering they served a bustling business area in Laos, with the capacity to mislead up to 10,000 users at once.
“This enabled scam gangs to trick unsuspecting Thai folk, creating the illusion of a local setup. The audacity is shocking, flaunting the law with brazen confidence.”
Pol. Gen. Nathathorn was keeping mum about the name of the shadowy telecommunications service provider.
Assistant national police chief, Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot highlighted the unprecedented nature of this cross-border con. While rogue cables have surfaced over rivers and borderlands before, never have they been laid so boldly across international bridges.
“This is a first! An extraordinary case of illicit bridge cables.”
These clandestine operations empowered Laos-based fraudsters to pose as Thai entities, duping countless victims. By pulling the plug on these sly operations, local government officials aim to thwart any further exploitation of Thai citizens, reported Bangkok Post.
As regulators set their sights on further probes and legal clampdowns, this incident underscores the uphill battle faced in curbing cross-border cybercrimes, revealing the crafty schemes that take digital deception to new heights.
