Police arrest suspects who defrauded monk out of 140,000 baht

Police have been making progress in tracking down members of a call centre group that defrauded a monk in the south of Thailand out of 140,000 baht. Another arrest was made by cyber police, this time a 45 year old woman from Roi Et, whose bank account received payments from the monk.

The group of scammers had tricked a monk from a temple in Hat Yai in the southern province of Songkhla into believing that he was the subject of a criminal investigation. Scammers posed as transport company officials and people connected to the police and other authorities to convince the monk that a suspicious package has been intercepted by Customs Department authorities that implicated him as a participant in a money-laundering scheme.

The monk, wanting to avoid criminal prosecution, transferred money through a network of bank accounts in an attempt to make it less traceable according to police. In total, he transferred about 140,000 baht, some of which ended up in the account of the 45-year old Thai woman that was tracked down in Bangkok today and arrested.

The woman was rumoured to be selling wares on Soi Charoen Krung 109 in Bangkok, and police found her standing at a street stall in the alley and took her into custody. She was charged with fraud by impersonating another person. She reportedly admitted that she had opened the account in her name, but she said that she had given the account to an acquaintance and had no idea that they had used it for any illegal activity. Police took her to Ratsasa Police Station in Trang to face legal action.

Another suspect in the call centre fraud ring had been arrested earlier at the Pahonyothin Police Station in the Chatuchak district, a 44 year old man also thought to be involved in defrauding the monk. Police believe that he convinced the monk to make up to 5 money transfers, including the one to the Thai woman arrested in Bangkok. He’s also being charged with fraud by impersonating another person.

SOURCE: ASEAN Now