Chinese woman safely located following a 25-million-baht scam in Bangkok

[webfact]

 

A 27-year-old Chinese woman, previously feared to be kidnapped for a 25-million-baht ransom, was found safe yesterday in Bangkok. Lu Xinlei was located at the HomePro Bangna shopping mall and taken to Phra Khanong Police Station for a heartwarming reunion with her mother and sister, who had flown in from China.

 

Lu, working for a property company in Japan, fell victim to a scam gang masquerading as Japanese officials. The scammers falsely accused her of violating an anti-money-laundering law and instructed her to transfer 17 million yen (around US$109,000) for inspection and to stay in either Thailand or Singapore, avoiding contact with her parents.

 

Arriving in Thailand on May 29, the gang directed Lu to switch SIM cards and change hotels frequently. On May 31, her parents received a chilling call from a man claiming she had been kidnapped, demanding a ransom of 5 million yuan (approximately 25 million baht or US$680,000) for her release. A Chinese-language interpreter helped relay this information to the local police.

 

Investigations soon revealed there was no kidnapping. Both Lu and her parents had fallen prey to a call scam gang, deceived through a chat application. The police spokesperson confirmed, "We believe the scammers tricked both the victim and her family. There was no real kidnapping involved."

 

Despite the distressing ordeal, Lu was found unharmed. Authorities assured the public of her safety and declared the investigations into the scammers' identities and locations would continue.

 

This case underscores the importance of vigilance against such scams, and officials urged everyone to report any suspicious activities without delay. This incident also highlights the need for increased awareness around sophisticated schemes that prey on innocent victims by exploiting their fears and vulnerabilities.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

-- 2024-06-10

 

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[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Investigations soon revealed there was no kidnapping. Both Lu and her parents had fallen prey to a call scam gang, deceived through a chat application. The police spokesperson confirmed, "We believe the scammers tricked both the victim and her family. There was no real kidnapping involved."

Very strange.

[nobodysfriend]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

a scam gang masquerading as Japanese officials.

 

[Gottfrid]

19 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Very strange.

Yep, don´t believe a word

[PingRoundTheWorld]

So many questions...

1. Why did they target her specifically? does she or her family actually have that kind of money? (unlikely)

2. If she didn't do nothing wrong, why did she believe them or listen to them.

3. Sounds like they didn't kidnap her and she voluntarily abided by their requests to move around and change SIM cards (why??) - didn't she suspect these requests? no actual law enforcement woud demand such things, on the contrary they'd want her to stick around in one place where she could be found.

4. Didn't she question why so-called Japanese officials would ask her to stay in Thailand or Singapore where they have no jurisdiction?

 

Sounds like either she's VERY naive, or there's more to the story...

 

P.S. Why do all these bizarre stories always involve Chinese? you never hear these stories with other nationalities (some have their own criminals - but never as weird unbelievable stories as these).

Edited June 9 by PingRoundTheWorld

[Tropicalevo]

33 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

Sounds like either she's VERY naive,

 

33 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

P.S. Why do all these bizarre stories always involve Chinese?

 

Perhaps because they are very naive. Most Chinese that come to Thailand are not 'world wide' travelled. The majority that we see have brand new passports.

[animalmagic]

50 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

So many questions...

1. Why did they target her specifically? does she or her family actually have that kind of money? (unlikely)

2. If she didn't do nothing wrong, why did she believe them or listen to them.

3. Sounds like they didn't kidnap her and she voluntarily abided by their requests to move around and change SIM cards (why??) - didn't she suspect these requests? no actual law enforcement woud demand such things, on the contrary they'd want her to stick around in one place where she could be found.

4. Didn't she question why so-called Japanese officials would ask her to stay in Thailand or Singapore where they have no jurisdiction?

 

Sounds like either she's VERY naive, or there's more to the story...

 

P.S. Why do all these bizarre stories always involve Chinese? you never hear these stories with other nationalities (some have their own criminals - but never as weird unbelievable stories as these).

1.  Because they knew that her or her family did have that kind of money; generally from inside information.  It is not unlikely that a Chinese businessperson has, or has access to, that kind of money.  There are many very rich people in China who also travel extensively.

2.  With a lifetime of experience dealing with Chinese Govt officials she will perhaps have a sense of foreboding when dealing with other persons claiming to be govt officials in the country they visit.

3.  This way they cannot be charged with kidnapping as the individual moved around 'voluntarily' and was never restrained (although under bad advice) and could not be contacted by the family.  Leading them to believe that she had, in fact, been kidnapped.

4.  See answer 2. above.  Many Asians live in fear of govt officials and do not question them as that can end badly.  Without full knowledge of what she was actually told by the fake govt officials, and the reasons they gave, it is difficult to understand why she did this.

P.S.  Various areas of the world, and indeed China, have different criminal M.O.s.  Some have a reputation for jewellery theft from various shows and retail outlets, whilst others specialise in begging scams.  There are pickpocketing gangs from some countries and, for the last 20 years Chinese fraud gangs have operated in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia to trick old or gullible Chinese citizens into falling for the scam and sending money.  Most of these tricks are based on a fear of their own Chinese authorities and no experience of the actions of other countries' govt officials, who they initially suspect as being as bad as their own.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

If she didn't do nothing wrong, why did she believe them or listen to them.

 

I think you mean didn't do anything wrong. Why did she believe them? It is by no means unusual for gullible people, those with the mind of a child, to believe anything they are told, We quite often read on here of Thais who send money to people after receiving a phone call 'from their bank' or other fake source, asking them to send money to an account, and they meekly oblige. I guess many Asians, not only Thais, are very afraid of officials of all kinds and if they are told to jump, they jump without thinking.

[animalmagic]

25 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I think you mean didn't do anything wrong. Why did she believe them? It is by no means unusual for gullible people, those with the mind of a child, to believe anything they are told, We quite often read on here of Thais who send money to people after receiving a phone call 'from their bank' or other fake source, asking them to send money to an account, and they meekly oblige. I guess many Asians, not only Thais, are very afraid of officials of all kinds and if they are told to jump, they jump without thinking.

and when told to jump, simply ask 'how high'?

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Very strange.

Typical call scam in the US related to federal income taxes. Caller identifies as IRS agent who claims victim owes substantial taxes and must pay immediately or an arrest warrant will be issued with arrest eminent.

 

[LudwigK]

A CHINESE FAIRY TALE FOR TH.

[Excogitator]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

 

A 27-year-old Chinese woman, previously feared to be kidnapped for a 25-million-baht ransom, was found safe yesterday in Bangkok. Lu Xinlei was located at the HomePro Bangna shopping mall and taken to Phra Khanong Police Station for a heartwarming reunion with her mother and sister, who had flown in from China.

 

Lu, working for a property company in Japan, fell victim to a scam gang masquerading as Japanese officials. The scammers falsely accused her of violating an anti-money-laundering law and instructed her to transfer 17 million yen (around US$109,000) for inspection and to stay in either Thailand or Singapore, avoiding contact with her parents.

 

Arriving in Thailand on May 29, the gang directed Lu to switch SIM cards and change hotels frequently. On May 31, her parents received a chilling call from a man claiming she had been kidnapped, demanding a ransom of 5 million yuan (approximately 25 million baht or US$680,000) for her release. A Chinese-language interpreter helped relay this information to the local police.

 

Investigations soon revealed there was no kidnapping. Both Lu and her parents had fallen prey to a call scam gang, deceived through a chat application. The police spokesperson confirmed, "We believe the scammers tricked both the victim and her family. There was no real kidnapping involved."

 

Despite the distressing ordeal, Lu was found unharmed. Authorities assured the public of her safety and declared the investigations into the scammers' identities and locations would continue.

 

This case underscores the importance of vigilance against such scams, and officials urged everyone to report any suspicious activities without delay. This incident also highlights the need for increased awareness around sophisticated schemes that prey on innocent victims by exploiting their fears and vulnerabilities.

 

Picture courtesy: MGR online

 

-- 2024-06-10

 

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There's a lot more to this story than what is revealed in this short article, of course. But I have noticed, though, that scammers and other criminals from countries like China and Russia, often prey on their own countrymen. Exploiting their own in-depth knowledge of their victims culture to access as much information as possible about them, down to their personal life and even their psyche. While also exploiting the victims (often) limited knowledge of the world outside their home country, to run, as the article states, 'sophisticated schemes that prey on innocent victims by exploiting their fears and vulnerabilities'

Edited June 10 by Excogitator

[Cabradelmar]

My first thought was the girl was involved in the scam to get money from her parents... Might still turn out to be the case. We'll see.

[Kerryd]

1 hour ago, Cabradelmar said:

My first thought was the girl was involved in the scam to get money from her parents... Might still turn out to be the case. We'll see.

My thoughts as well.

Especially as she was apparently found wandering around a shopping mall. Not trying to hide in hotel somewhere but just going about her business like normal.

Probably not expecting anyone to recognize her in a foreign country.

Gee, I wonder if this was the plot of a recent movie or soap opera.

[john donson]

scamfish ?

[kiwikeith]

18 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Very strange.

Sounds suspicious to me 

[Gottfrid]

On 6/10/2024 at 8:19 AM, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I think you mean didn't do anything wrong. Why did she believe them? It is by no means unusual for gullible people, those with the mind of a child, to believe anything they are told, We quite often read on here of Thais who send money to people after receiving a phone call 'from their bank' or other fake source, asking them to send money to an account, and they meekly oblige. I guess many Asians, not only Thais, are very afraid of officials of all kinds and if they are told to jump, they jump without thinking.

Yeah right! Before I explained everything, my wife tried to tell me I can not say anything to or against the doctor, because they are high and big people. 😂

But know, after over 12 years, she has become very aware of the situations in the country.

Edited June 12 by Gottfrid

[bristolgeoff]

Was the money paid i wonder,found safe  and unhurt something strange here