Transgender woman arrested for online silk scam, 50 victims monthly

In a significant crackdown on online fraud, Chaing Rai police arrested a transgender woman for an online silk scam, defrauding 50 victims monthly, yielding 20,000 baht per month.

Chiang Rai Region 5 police, led by Deputy Commissioner Major General Weerachon Boonthavee, alongside other senior officers, apprehended a 21 year old transgender, identified as Yutthakarn, at a dormitory in Ban Khu, Mueang district, Chiang Rai province.

The Region 5 Technology Crime Suppression Center, in collaboration with investigation teams, discovered a Facebook page promoting handwoven cotton and silk products.

Maj. Gen. Weerachon revealed that Yutthakarn, under various aliases, had been advertising silk and cotton products at attractive prices on Facebook. Many customers fell for the scam, transferring money for products that were never delivered.

Yutthakarn, who had a warrant issued by the Uthai Thani Provincial Court for fraud and computer crimes, confessed to the scheme. The scam involved posting images of silk and cotton products such as bags, clothes, and fabrics, luring customers with low prices.

When customer complaints arose, Yutthakarn would block the victims and continue the scam under a new Facebook name. The investigation revealed that this fraudulent activity had been ongoing since January, with Yutthakarn changing Facebook page names frequently to avoid detection.

Yutthakarn admitted to defrauding approximately 40 to 50 victims monthly, earning around 15,000 to 20,000 baht. She has been charged with fraud and inputting false information into a computer system, causing damage to others. The suspect has been handed over to the police for further legal proceedings, reported KhaoSod.

In related news, a man from Nakhon Ratchasima was left disheartened after spending 499 baht on what he believed to be a set of tools but instead received three bottles of water.

Nirat Sukboon, a 46 year old resident of Nai Mueang subdistrict, Phimai district, took his complaint to the Phimai Police Station, presenting the evidence of the water bottles.