Former police inspector in North Thailand scammed, loses retirement funds

A scam gang, pretending to be police, have tricked a former police inspector in North Thailand into handing over all of his retirement money, totalling 1.8 million baht. The former inspector, who lives in Lampang province, said the scammers called him on June 1, claiming to be from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.

The scammers told the former inspector that his phone number had been used in an online crime, and that he needed to file a police complaint so he wouldn’t be prosecuted. They then told him to follow instructions on the app Teamviewer, which gives people remote access to computers and phones. The scammers directed him to add a LINE group that he thought was for Chiang Rai city police.

The scammers then tricked the the former inspector into downloading several apps, and, without him knowing, emptied his 1.8 million baht of retirement funds out of several accounts. When the former inspector started to feel something was fishy, he checked his bank accounts and realised he had been duped. The money was transferred to someone under the name “Mr. Phachorn” with a Kiatnakin bank account, and a “Mr. Rattanaphon” with a Bangkok Bank account.

The former inspector admitted that “online stuff was not his strong point”, according to Thai media outlet Thai Rath. He said he didn’t use banking apps before, and was not tech savvy.

Police are now investigating, and preparing summons for other potential victims of the scammers.

SOURCE: Thai Rath