Knockout scam: Female boxer floored by cops in call centre sting

Police apprehended a female boxer involved in a call centre scam operation that defrauded victims of millions of baht. The suspect claimed she was merely hired to open mule accounts.

On September 24, Police Colonel Santi Kornkasem, along with other officers, ordered the arrest of 36 year old Benjamas from Nakhon Ratchasima. She was apprehended under an arrest warrant issued by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court on August 19 last year. She faces charges of fraud and inputting false or distorted computer data likely to cause public harm.

Additionally, there is another warrant from Chiang Mai Provincial Court dated September 6, 2022, for similar charges of public fraud and inputting false computer data. Officers captured Benjamas in front of a house in Non Rang Village, Moo 2, Kaeng Sanam Nang subdistrict, Kaeng Sanam Nang district, Nakhon Ratchasima, on September 23. The arrest followed an investigation by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), which had been tracking her due to her involvement in an online scam.

The fraud scheme involved sending SMS messages to victims’ phones, prompting them to add a LINE account. Once connected, victims were enticed to participate in TikTok live streams and share content.

The scam progressed by asking them to invest small amounts initially, ranging from hundreds to thousands of baht, eventually escalating to hundreds of thousands. Each investment was never withdrawn immediately; instead, victims were instructed to follow the group’s leader’s commands. When victims attempted to withdraw their funds, they were informed that they had to pay a 30% tax first, resulting in substantial losses.

In the jurisdiction of Bang Bua Thong Police Station, the scam caused a loss of 2,432,426 baht. The San Sai Police Station reported damages of 105,999 baht, while the Mueang Kamphaeng Phet Police Station reported losses amounting to 200,000 baht.

Investigations revealed that Benjamas, a professional female boxer, was the account holder of the mule accounts used in the scam. Despite her claims, police have sufficient evidence to link her to the fraudulent activities. She confessed to being hired solely to open the accounts and denied any direct involvement in deceiving the victims.

Police have taken Benjamas into custody and transferred her to Bang Bua Thong Police Station for further legal proceedings. The investigation is ongoing to identify other members of the scam network and bring them to justice, reported KhaoSod.