Young Bangkok Woman Arrested Over Pension Fraud Scheme

[snoop1130]

 

A 20-year-old woman was arrested in Bangkok for being part of a call center scam that swindled a retired teacher out of millions in pension funds. She was apprehended upon her return to Thailand.

 

On October 11, she was apprehended by officers led by Police Major General Montree Teskan and Police Colonel Pattarawut Onchuay from the Crime Suppression Division. The woman, named Pornrat (last name withheld), was captured under an arrest warrant issued on August 28.

 

Pornrat was accused of multiple offenses, including theft involving two or more individuals posing as officials, wrongful use of another person's electronic card, and computer-related crimes by distributing false information.

 

The arrest occurred outside a dormitory on Soi Ladprao 101 in Klong Chan, Bang Kapi district, Bangkok. The fraud operation, which started in January, saw fraudsters call the victim, a retired teacher, at their home, pretending to be officials from a pension fund. They falsely claimed that the victim was due outstanding pension benefits.

 

The culprits instructed the victim to add them on the LINE application to send a link to download an application. After downloading the app and interacting with the scammers, the victim's phone stopped working.

Upon regaining phone service, the victim discovered something wrong and checked their banking app only to find that about 1 million baht (US$30,000) had been transferred to the fraudsters' accounts in two separate transactions. The victim immediately notified the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, leading to the eventual arrest of the suspect.

 

During the probe, Pornrat admitted to selling her bank account to the scam gang. She smuggled herself across the border in Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo province, attracted by a guaranteed monthly salary of 40,000 baht (US$1,200), free housing, and meals. But upon arrival, the conditions were far from what she was promised.

 

She was kept under constant surveillance, not allowed to leave unattended, and confined to a small room with only an old fan. The job involved making fraudulent calls to Thai citizens from morning till night.

 

On her conditions, she said: “The food was often bad, and if anyone tried to escape and got caught, they would be chained, beaten, and in extreme cases, electrocuted until they lost consciousness." The dire circumstances forced Pornrat and others to flee back to Thailand, leading to her arrest.

 

Pornrat has been handed over to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau for further legal proceedings.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-10-11

 

 

[mran66]

Not sure if I understood correctly, but I did not find pension fraud I'm the story, but I just bank fraud. 

 

Also, I wonder what kind of teacher can get millions in pension benefits in Thailand? 

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The culprits instructed the victim to add them on the LINE application to send a link to download an application. After downloading the app and interacting with the scammers, the victim's phone stopped working.

Upon regaining phone service, the victim discovered something wrong and checked their banking app only to find that about 1 million baht (US$30,000) had been transferred to the fraudsters' accounts in two separate transactions

Scum of the earth.

[CanadaSam]

Confusing read.

 

I interpret it as she went across the border for a job.

 

Got caught with a scammer network that forced her to make these phonecalls and scam Thai's.

 

Is so, shouldn't the authorities be trying to shut down the scammer gang?

 

Aren't they the ones that took all the money? 

 

If she had the millions, why would she be living in a lousy room with old fan? 

 

I dunno, just plain confused.

[NativeBob]

Obviously lost in translation. 

[john donson]

thank god my bank ask me to come in for transactions like that...

 

good to see some teachers have millions in savings after all... 

 

how did the scammers find out pensioners with millions? would they buy info from the banks, with phone number added ?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 10/11/2024 at 6:56 PM, mran66 said:

Not sure if I understood correctly, but I did not find pension fraud I'm the story

"...a call center scam that swindled a retired teacher out of millions in pension funds..."

[brianthainess]

On 10/11/2024 at 6:56 PM, mran66 said:

Not sure if I understood correctly, but I did not find pension fraud I'm the story, but I just bank fraud. 

 

Also, I wonder what kind of teacher can get millions in pension benefits in Thailand? 

Agree

[Liverpool Lou]

On 10/11/2024 at 6:56 PM, mran66 said:

I wonder what kind of teacher can get millions in pension benefits in Thailand?

...those who have sufficient savings to build up a fund and whom may have been saving for 40-odd years.

[brianthainess]

17 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Confusing read.

 

I interpret it as she went across the border for a job.

 

Got caught with a scammer network that forced her to make these phonecalls and scam Thai's.

 

Is so, shouldn't the authorities be trying to shut down the scammer gang?

 

Aren't they the ones that took all the money? 

 

If she had the millions, why would she be living in a lousy room with old fan? 

 

I dunno, just plain confused.

agree

[Liverpool Lou]

17 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Is so, shouldn't the authorities be trying to shut down the scammer gang?

In a different country?  How would Thai authorities do that?

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, john donson said:

how did the scammers find out pensioners with millions? would they buy info from the banks, with phone number added ?

By calling thousands of numbers, not specifically targetted numbers.  

[BusyB]

21 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Confusing read.

 

I interpret it as she went across the border for a job.

 

Got caught with a scammer network that forced her to make these phonecalls and scam Thai's.

 

Is so, shouldn't the authorities be trying to shut down the scammer gang?

 

Aren't they the ones that took all the money? 

 

If she had the millions, why would she be living in a lousy room with old fan? 

 

I dunno, just plain confused.

 

Clearly people trafficking. If true she's as much a victim as the victim. Let's see.