Man Arrested in Phuket for Alleged Involvement in Land Application Scam

[webfact]

 

Phuket – A man was arrested in Phuket after he allegedly was involved in a land loan application scam in which a victim lost about a million baht, or 30,000 USD.

The Thai Cyber Police told the Phuket Express that on Saturday (August 12th) they arrested a man identified only as Mr. Winat, 25, at a department store in Thalang. The arrest came after the Nonthaburi Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant on July 19th, 2023 for Winat for fraud.

 

Winat was found to have been allegedly involved with scammers who were tricking victims to download a fake Land Department application called ‘SmartLand’. An unidentified female victim who is also a fairly well-known newscaster of Thai media had lost about a million baht after she downloaded the application and filled out fake land loan information, sending money as initial processing and down payment fees.

 

By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2023/08/15/man-arrested-in-phuket-for-alleged-involvement-in-land-application-scam/

 

-- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2023-08-15

 

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[Sigmund]

If I could go back in time, I would never buy in Thailand.

 

Renting seems the safest option considering all the scams around. Not to mention the issues that could arise on after completion and key hand over and of course the developper is rarely as compliant as before the sale

 

Unless one is a professionnal builder, it's a further risk for foreigners.

 

Not to mention regular hassles for non immigrant visas that tend to become a nightmare for the westeners used to a certain level of bureaucratic simplicity back home.

[NorthernRyland]

25 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

If I could go back in time, I would never buy in Thailand.

 

Renting seems the safest option considering all the scams around. Not to mention the issues that could arise on after completion and key hand over and of course the developper is rarely as compliant as before the sale

 

Unless one is a professionnal builder, it's a further risk for foreigners.

 

Not to mention regular hassles for non immigrant visas that tend to become a nightmare for the westeners used to a certain level of bureaucratic simplicity back home.

Can you sell? building is still appealing here if you want to live rural where there are no houses or just don't want to live in a cramped little housing project but obviously lots of risks and prerequisites.

[Sigmund]

1 minute ago, NorthernRyland said:

Can you sell? building is still appealing here if you want to live rural where there are no houses or just don't want to live in a cramped little housing project but obviously lots of risks and prerequisites.

Definately considering the sale...but obviously at loss and not many people are buying now in developpments.

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, Sigmund said:

Definately considering the sale...but obviously at loss and not many people are buying now in developpments.

it's a housing project? I see so many of these low quality housing projects popping up around Chiang Mai. Usually in the 1.5-3 million baht range.  Most of them are not crap and the developers have driven up land prices to an absurd level. I would leave CM tomorrow if not for my wife.

That being said they do appear to be selling, but I could be wrong about that and we're just in a debt fueled construction bubble.

[Skipalongcassidy]

The real crime being perpetrated is the moving of mountains of dirt from the country into the urban areas and creating a landscape devoid of all the natural beauty... acres upon acres of flat lifeless earth...

[brianthainess]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

fairly well-known newscaster of Thai media had lost about a million baht

So she works in the Thai media and still fell for a scam downloading a fake 'Loan' application. 

Hands up all those who would 'buy' land and send the down payment using a phone.

If the land existed some land office somewhere would have it on record, oh and guess what, land offices have phones.  

[NORDO]

Wow, can you believe this?  A land scam, who would thought this could ever happen in LOFS.

[newbee2022]

4 hours ago, Sigmund said:

If I could go back in time, I would never buy in Thailand.

 

Renting seems the safest option considering all the scams around. Not to mention the issues that could arise on after completion and key hand over and of course the developper is rarely as compliant as before the sale

 

Unless one is a professionnal builder, it's a further risk for foreigners.

 

Not to mention regular hassles for non immigrant visas that tend to become a nightmare for the westeners used to a certain level of bureaucratic simplicity back home.

Is it, that you don't live in Thailand??? And you heard something from a friend of a friend??????

[RocketDog]

5 hours ago, Sigmund said:

If I could go back in time, I would never buy in Thailand.

 

Renting seems the safest option considering all the scams around. Not to mention the issues that could arise on after completion and key hand over and of course the developper is rarely as compliant as before the sale

 

Unless one is a professionnal builder, it's a further risk for foreigners.

 

Not to mention regular hassles for non immigrant visas that tend to become a nightmare for the westeners used to a certain level of bureaucratic simplicity back home.

Renting has multiple pitfalls as well.

Owning has multiple benefits.

Visa issues are irrelevant to owning or renting long term.

Many of us own homes here and are happy to have control of their dwelling and environment.

Up to you. Your choices are often going to be different than others.

Blanket statements are rarely helpful or accurate.