25-6-2023 (BANGKOK) Thai cyber police have successfully apprehended two individuals involved in a fraudulent call centre operation that targeted and defrauded a monk of nearly half a million baht. The suspects, identified as Thitiwatch (38 years old) and Ekapetch (52 years old), were arrested in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai and Pleonchit districts based on arrest warrants issued by the Samut Prakan provincial court.
The arrests were made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Criminal Suppression Division (CSD) officers, headed by Major General Worawut Watnakornbancha, and Lieutenant Colonel Natthakorn Pranayanont, who supervised Taskforce Unit 2 for the operation. The investigation was initiated following a complaint filed by a monk who had fallen victim to the scam in early 2022.
According to the complaint, the monk was deceived into transferring 408,723 baht (approximately S$15,000) to the call centre scammers who posed as online loan debt collectors, promising to help repay his mother’s debt. The victims would receive a message stating that their loan application had been approved after clicking on a link sent by the scammers. However, in order to secure the loan, they were instructed to deposit a certain amount of money since they had no previous borrowing history with the company.
Believing the scam, the monk made 15 transactions totaling 408,723 baht (approximately S$15,000). When he requested a refund, the scammers demanded additional money before processing the return. Realizing that he had been defrauded, the monk promptly reported the incident to the police.
The investigation led to the arrest of Thitiwatch and Ekapetch, who were found to be part of a larger group involving four other individuals who remain at large. During questioning, both suspects denied the allegations. The Thai cyber police are continuing their investigation in search of the remaining fraudsters associated with the operation.
