Rawai woman busted in 36 million baht fake investment scam
A 36 year old woman in Rawai has been arrested for her alleged role in a massive investment scam that defrauded victims of over 36 million baht.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), in collaboration with the Highway Police Division, apprehended the suspect, identified as Wipha, at a residence in Soi Samakee 2 following a detailed investigation.
Wipha faces multiple charges, including fraud, impersonation, and inputting false data into a computer system. Police revealed she played a crucial role in a criminal gang that used fake apps to lure victims into investing in bogus stocks and foreign currency trading schemes.
The gang promised enticingly high returns but manipulated the system to block victims from withdrawing their funds. Wipha allegedly facilitated the scam by opening a mule account to receive the victims’ money transfers.
According to the CIB, victims were persuaded via social media to invest through fraudulent apps, believing they would secure significant profits. After transferring their money, however, they found themselves unable to access their investments. One victim’s complaint eventually triggered an investigation, leading to the issuance of an arrest warrant for Wipha.
The arrest, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Chatuphon Tikaew, took place near the Rawai residence after police gathered sufficient evidence. Wipha has since been handed over to Patong Police for further legal proceedings, reported The Phuket News.
Police are now intensifying efforts to locate and apprehend other members of the gang.
“We are committed to ensuring justice for the victims and dismantling this network of fraudsters.”
Between March 2022 and November 2024, over 739,000 online crime cases were reported, resulting in damages exceeding 77 billion baht. Among these, online investment scams were particularly prevalent, with 23,616 cases reported between March 2022 and June 2023, leading to losses of over 11.55 billion baht.
A recent report revealed that over 28% of Thai respondents lost money to fraudsters in the past year, underscoring the widespread impact of scams on the general population, reported The Nation.
Latest Thailand News
