Viral video clip exposes alleged call-centre scam

By Prateep Nantaparp
The Nation

 

 

A viral video clip has prompted police to track down the man whose bank account is apparently used by a fraudulent call centre.

 

Investigators from the Muang Lampang Police Station on Friday headed to the house of Poonsawat Khamphira, 37, to question him over his role in the alleged scam. 

 

“I was paid Bt1,000 to open this bank account on October 3,” Poonsawat told police. 

 

He said he received the payment as soon as he handed over the passbook and the connected ATM to a transvestite. 

 

“And now my name has been the centre of the scandal,” he lamented.

 

Police did not arrest Poonsawat on Friday, as it is the duty of Ratchaburi police to take actions given the complaint about this case was filed there.

 

The complainant was Mareena Saengchai, a teller who works in Ratchaburi province. She has also asked her employer to consider taking legal actions. 

 

On Wednesday, she received a call from a person who claimed she had suspiciously sought a loan from a loan shark and thus had to submit her cash for examination. She was asked to transfer money to Poonsawat’s account. 

 

Mareena secretly recorded her conversation with the person and alleged accomplices. At some points of the conversation, she went live on Facebook and the video recording went viral on the Internet. 

 

“Members of this gang sounded very convincing. I wanted to expose their fraudulent scheme. I really want to warn people in general about such scheme and to not fall victims,” she said.

 

During her conversation with the alleged gang, Mareena faked crying to convince it that she believed its claim as she hoped to get information on the gang. That’s how she received the name and bank account number of Poonsawat. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30332979

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-1

11 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Mareena secretly recorded her conversation with the person and alleged accomplices. At some points of the conversation, she went live on Facebook and the video recording went viral on the Internet. 

Ha, ha...brilliant. 

 

Well done that woman. 

15 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

During her conversation with the alleged gang, Mareena faked crying to convince it that she believed its claim as she hoped to get information on the gang. That’s how she received the name and bank account number of Poonsawat

Sounds like she should be the one investigating these criminals.

 

She’s way better at it than the bib. 

2 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Sounds like she should be the one investigating these criminals.

 

She’s way better at it than the bib. 

You beat me to the same comment. She should be immediately moved to head up the fraud dept. of the BIB. 

My wife was telling me about this yesterday.

The woman who made the recording works for the SCB, so the scammers picked the wrong victim there. What a great person with presence of mind as well.

I know the Nation article doesn't say the name of the bank, but she was interviewed on Thai news and the reporter stated this. Plus she was wearing an SCB uniform.

As an earlier poster said, she should be in charge of the fraud department - someone more on the ball than the police.