Call Centre Scam Suspect Arrested After Defrauding Army General of 3.6 Million Baht

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

Police have arrested a 26-year-old man suspected of being part of a call centre scam syndicate that tricked a high-ranking army officer into transferring his entire bank balance of 3.6 million baht under the false pretence of a drug trafficking investigation.

On 23 May, Police Major General Wittaya Sriprasertphap, commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), ordered the arrest of Mr. Arthit, pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on 30 March 2024. He faces multiple charges, including public fraud, impersonation, computer crime involving false information and permitting others to use his bank account for cybercrime purposes.

The suspect was apprehended in front of a residence in Moo 5, Bang Nam Chuet subdistrict, Mueang district, Samut Sakhon province.

According to police, the scam took place in 2023, when a retired army major general received a phone call from individuals posing as police officers and bank officials. The callers falsely claimed that the officer’s personal information had been used to open credit cards linked to money laundering and narcotics trafficking cases.

To “verify” his financial status, the scammers instructed the victim to install a mobile banking application for a commercial bank branch in the Chokchai 4 area of Bangkok. Over time, they persuaded him to transfer his funds into what he believed was a government-secured account, in reality, it was an account controlled by the scammer network. The total amount lost was more than 3.6 million baht.

Investigations led authorities to Mr. Arthit, whose name was linked to the bank account that received the stolen funds. Police tracked him down to Samut Sakhon and made the arrest.

During interrogation, the suspect claimed he had handed over his bank account to a former girlfriend and denied receiving any of the defrauded money himself. Nonetheless, police have transferred him to Phahonyothin Police Station in Bangkok for prosecution in accordance with the law.

Authorities continue to investigate the wider scam network, warning the public to remain vigilant against increasingly sophisticated forms of cyber fraud.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-05-24.