Thai cyber police say they have arrested five people after a first-year student at a prominent university in Bangkok's Pathum Wan area was allegedly cheated out of 3.617 million baht in an elaborate call-centre scam. The victim was targeted on 9 August and was kept on calls into the night after fraudsters claimed the student's bank account was connected to money laundering and online gambling. Police announced the arrests on 28 August 2026. Fraudsters posed as phone firm and police The scam began with a caller claiming to represent AIS headquarters, saying somebody had used the student's name to register a mobile SIM card at a shopping centre in Loei province. The call was then transferred to a person posing as an investigating officer at Mueang Loei Police Station. The student was told to add a Line account named Mueang Loei Police Station before another caller, claiming to be the station superintendent, took over. The caller allegedly said police had arrested a money-laundering suspect who claimed the student had sold their bank account to receive gambling-site transfers. The fraudsters said 8.5 million baht had been frozen and alleged the student had received a 10 per cent share because they had no financial support from their parents. Frightened by the claims, the student disclosed having about 856,000 baht in their account. They were told to transfer it to a supposed Anti-Money Laundering Office central account for a one- to two-hour check. The gang then allegedly ordered the student to lie to their father, saying a large sum was needed for an exchange-student scholarship application in Australia. The father transferred a further 2.7 million baht. Five payments made in one day Police said the victim made five payments, with a cash handover on 9 August, totalling 3,617,000 baht. These included bank transfers of 856,000 baht at 12.47pm and 1.1 million baht at 3.54pm. At 6pm, the student withdrew 1.6 million baht in cash and handed it to a person claiming to be a police officer outside a hotel in the Srinakarin area. Two final transfers, of 26,000 baht and 35,000 baht, followed at 7.33pm and 7.36pm. The callers then moved communications to Telegram and instructed the victim to keep the call open overnight, apparently to seek more money. The student's aunt noticed something was wrong, questioned the victim and took the evidence to investigators at Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau Division 2. Five arrested, three still sought Cyber police obtained warrants for eight people and searched three locations in Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, arresting five suspects. Pictures courtesy of Komchadluek They named Vietnamese nationals Quoc Nam Nguyen, 28, accused of posing as an officer to collect the 1.6 million baht cash, and Huy Tan Nguyen, 26, who allegedly accompanied him. Officers seized eight phones and clothing said to have been worn on the day. Also arrested were Dolpak, 48, alleged to have moved cash through company and shop accounts to disguise its origin; Thitikan, 25; and Phattharaporn, 33, both alleged mule-account holders. Police seized 792,690 baht in cash and 13 bank books from Dolpak. They face allegations including public fraud by impersonation, conspiracy to launder money, importing false computer data and supporting offences. Police are seeking the remaining three suspects. Join the discussion? 29 August 2026
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