Malaysians arrested for credit card fraud

PHUKET CITY: Police arrested two Malaysians at the Thavorn Grand Plaza Hotel on Thursday for using fake credit cards and charge cards. Pol Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Phuket City Police Station, explained that the American Express office in Bangkok had notified police in Phuket that the men were known to be on the island and that they were wanted for credit card fraud. Amex provided the names, nationality and descriptions of the men. Pol Capt Warawat Sutthinun, of Phuket City Police Station, said that once the two, Tan Kah Hong, 48, and Wong Mun Bee, 20, were located, police went to the hotel at about 1 pm and arrested them in their rooms. “In their rooms we found eight fake cards, including cards purportedly issued by HSBC, Standard Chartered and Siam Commercial Bank, along with a forged Singaporean passport,” Capt Warawat said. He added that officers also found two mobile phones and a digital camera, which they believe were bought with fake credit cards. Col Paween said that the men had used the cards to buy items, including gold watches and digital cameras, totaling about 100,000 baht, selling them later for cash. He said that police believe the men had Thai accomplices. He added that making and using fake credit cards was big business in Malaysia and warned people not to use credit cards while visiting the country. “Malaysia is a dangerous place to use credit cards because after you use your card in a shop, people may use your details to make fake credit cards,” Col Paween said. The men were taken to Phuket City Police Station, where they are being held while police continue to build the case against them on charges of fraud. If found guilty, each of the men faces up to three years in jail, or a fine of up to 6,000 baht, or both, on each count.