Finnish tourist in Phuket cons parents with fake arrest scam for 7,000 euros

Phuket’s tourist police unraveled a fraudulent scheme involving a 27 year old Finnish man, who conned his parents out of 7,000 euros. The tourist falsely claimed that he had been arrested and demanded the hefty amount for his release. The revelation unfolded when the parents lodged a complaint on Friday after losing contact with their son, fearing he was a victim of police extortion.

The following day, the police tracked down the Finnish man along with another 34 year old Finnish national. Upon questioning at the Patong police station, they confessed to the scam. The younger man admitted that he had deceived his parents by claiming that the local police had arrested him and were demanding a ransom of 7,000 euros (US$ 7,635) for his release.

Adding to the parents’ distress, they received a phone call from an individual posing as a Phuket policeman. He instructed them to transfer 7,000 euros to a designated account. Unable to reach their son, the worried parents complied, reported Bangkok Post.

The superintendent of the tourist police, Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekachai Siri, disclosed that the Finnish tourists arrived in the country on June 28 and their visas expired on July 27. It emerged that they had made no attempts to extend their stay. Consequently, both men were charged with overstaying their visas.

In a relieving turn of events, the parents of the fraudulent Finnish tourist were informed that their son was safe, according to Pol Lt Col Ekachai.

In related news, a foreign national was taken into custody at the weekend at Phuket International Airport for overstaying his visa by 80 days. This event marks the launch of the second year of the Crime Free Phuket initiative run by the local Immigration Bureau. The past year has seen the arrest of 188 individuals, with overstaying visas accounting for 66 of these cases. To read more click HERE