African/Thai women gang con lonely hearts out of 10 million in "Romance Scam"

[webfact]

African/Thai women gang con lonely hearts out of 10 million in "Romance Scam"

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Romance scams are in the news again - these are frauds perpetrated by usually African led gangs working with Thai female accomplices who con women looking for love online out of money. 

 

In the latest case two Thai women were arrested by Region 4 Provincial Police at a resort in Phitsanulok in the north of Thailand. 

 

Kansuda, 19, and Wiphawadee, 20, have been charged with fraud under false pretences. The older woman had persuaded the other to open an account in the sum of 3,000 baht. In return they would get a percentage of money coming in that was part of a foreigner's business dealings.

 

That business was scamming. The leader of the gang is a black man from Africa living in Malaysia. 

 

The scam was a similar modus operandus seen in countless others over the last few years with a few new twists. 

 

Between September and November many women with many different jobs had been conned, said Pol Lt-Gen Yanyong Wechosot of R4. Many of the victims were too embarrassed to come in in person. 

 

Many are believed not to have come forward at all yet and are urged to do so. 

 

The gang used a nice profile of an acceptable looking foreigner who sweet talked the victim and arranged to meet in Thailand.

 

But when they were due  to meet they had to quarantine and all the valuables they had brought with them were with them. They said that immigration needed to be paid so that the valuables could be released. 

 

Now the victims were contacted by Thais on a social media app pretending to be a customs officer and a lawyer. They said the victim would be arrested for what they had done and the valuable goods would be seized if money was not paid.

 

An account was provided and the money was transferred. 

 

One victim in Kumphawapi, Udon Thani in the north east parted with 439,000 baht. Another in Khon Kaen lost 126,000 baht, yet another in Suwannaphum 50,000 and there were many more. 

 

A similar scam was perpetrated in Bangkok with a Don Muang area victim losing 500,000 baht, one in Bang Khen 225,000 baht and another in Huay Kwang 700,000.

 

Total losses are believed to be 10 million baht, said Yanyong. 

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-11-27

 

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[Phuketshrew]

Greedy and gullible - Thailand is such a fertile ground for these scammers. As they say "there's one born every minute" .....

[worgeordie]

Those West Africans are so romantic...read just yesterday where one

turned up to a wedding with 6 pregnant girl friends....

regards Worgeordie

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

One victim in Kumphawapi, Udon Thani in the north east parted with 439,000 baht. Another in Khon Kaen lost 126,000 baht, yet another in Suwannaphum 50,000 and there were many more. 

More money than sense... it's harsh yes, but truth sometimes hurts.