Scammers arrested in Bangkok for conning elderly woman

Thai police arrested a group involved in a romance scam targeting an elderly woman. The scammer, posing as a discharged soldier from Yemen, promised to transfer her US dollars but asked if she could pay currency tax on the money first, leading to the victim losing 23,000 baht.

Police Major General Theeradej Thammasuthee, along with his team, yesterday, September 12, ordered the arrest of 22 year old Teerapat from Ubon Ratchathani. Teerapat was detained at a parking lot in Suan Phueng Pattanakarn, Bangkok, under charges of fraud and inputting false information into a computer system, which could harm the public.

The case began when the 70 year old woman reported to the police that she had received messages from a Facebook user named Sansern Apichat. The scammer, claiming to be a discharged soldier from Yemen, convinced the victim he would send her money in US dollars.

However, he deceived her into paying 23,000 baht in taxes to the Thai government, split into two payments of 15,000 baht and 8,000 baht. After making these payments, the victim could no longer contact the scammer, prompting her to file a complaint with the police.

Teerapat confessed during the interrogation that he had encountered a Facebook post last year that offered money in exchange for opening bank accounts. He agreed to open three bank accounts and register applications linked to these accounts, receiving 3,000 baht for his services.

“Initially, the suspect claimed he needed money and thus agreed to the arrangement, providing his bank details and setting up the accounts.”

The police have transferred Teerapat to Khu Khot Police Station for further legal action. Police Major General Theeradej warned the public about romance scams, emphasising that these fraudsters often target individuals seeking love on dating applications and social media platforms.

“Romance scammers use sweet talk and promises to lure their victims, who are often single, divorced, widowed, elderly, or simply vulnerable individuals looking for genuine connections. We urge everyone to be cautious online. Remember: ‘Don’t believe, don’t rush, don’t transfer money.’”

The police are continuing their investigation to identify other members of the scam ring and to provide justice to the victims. They stress the importance of public awareness and vigilance in preventing such scams, encouraging people to report suspicious online activities immediately, reported KhaoSod.