Thai man swindled out of 550,000 baht by online investment scam
A man from Nong Han district in Udon Thani has been driven to suicidal thoughts after being swindled out of 550,000 baht by an online scammer posing as an investment advisor. The scammer continues to taunt him daily, asking if he wants to invest more.
The 42 year old victim, identified by the pseudonym Krob, had worked for 10 years in South Korea and recently returned home with his savings. He planned to use the money to get married and start a business.
Early this month, Krob came across a Facebook page promoting online sales and income generation. He expressed interest, leading to a series of automated messages and a link to a Facebook account under the name Vichuda.
Vichuda introduced Krob to an online investment scheme that promised quick returns. The initial transaction involved Krob transferring 1,000 baht and receiving 1,280 baht in return within minutes. Encouraged by this, he decided to continue investing. Vichuda then added him to a Line group with 12 members, including a boss named Dr Jakkrapan, who presented himself as an expert in online sales and investment.
“He suggested I start with Plan A. I transferred 2,999 baht and got 3,598 baht back. He kept asking if I wanted to keep investing.”
Despite initial success, the transactions soon escalated. Krob transferred 9,999 baht, then 29,000 baht, each time believing he would get his money back with interest. However, the returns stopped coming, and Dr Jakkrapan began demanding more money, claiming it was necessary to complete larger transactions.
“I started to have doubts but kept sending money, hoping to recover my investment. I even borrowed nearly 100,000 baht from friends in South Korea.”
Girlfriend’s support
Eventually, Krob realised he had been scammed and reported the crime to the Ban Dung Police Station. Despite this, Dr Jakkrapan continues to contact him daily, urging him to invest more money to recover his losses. The scam has left Krob devastated, as he lost all the money he had saved to marry and start a new life.
“I’m heartbroken and stressed out. I can’t sleep and have even thought about ending my life. I haven’t told my parents because I’m afraid of how they’ll react.”
Fortunately, Krob’s girlfriend has been a source of support. She arranged a birthday celebration for him on June 3 and reassured him that she loved him regardless of the financial loss and was still willing to marry him.
“Her support has brought me to tears. I want to warn others about these scams. I hope the cyber police can track down these criminals.”
Krob has shared evidence of the transactions and conversations with the scammers, who used three different mule accounts to receive the money. He urges authorities to take action against Dr Jakkrapan and his accomplices, who remain active online, continuing to lure unsuspecting victims, reported KhaoSod.
