Crime Engineering Student Dropout Leads Scam Gang, Defrauds Victims of Over 20 Million Baht

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Police have arrested three men, including a former computer engineering student who failed to complete his studies, for orchestrating a sophisticated nationwide scam involving fraudulent credit card applications. The criminal operation is believed to have caused losses of at least 20 million baht and funded a luxurious lifestyle involving luxury cars, gambling and high-end living.

 

The suspects, identified only as Mr. Krongrat (29), Mr. Kritnai (28) and Mr. Papanthit (30), were apprehended under arrest warrants issued by Songkhla Provincial Court on 11 June 2025. They face charges including public fraud, computer crimes involving the dissemination of false data and illegal use of another person’s electronic payment cards.

 

Police from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) seized a Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe AMG, 23 mobile phones, 6 computers and laptops, a currency counter, two gold bullion bars, SIM cards, bank books and over 50 related items during the raids. Two of the suspects were arrested at a condominium in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi 24, while the third was taken into custody at a residence in Lopburi province.

 

Pol. Col. Phattarawut Onchuai, who led the investigation, explained that the group posed as bank employees to lure victims into applying for credit and debit cards online. They targeted people with low incomes, promising easy approvals with no costs. Once the victims had completed the online application, the gang quickly used the cards to purchase high-value items, particularly gold, via e-commerce platforms, all without the victims’ knowledge.

 

The fraudsters operated a fake call centre and exploited popular Facebook pages with high follower counts, particularly in the grey-market sphere such as “STO-Saithao” and “Saithao Marketing”. These pages were repurposed with official-looking advertisements and rebranded under names such as “OD Loans”, “Quick Loans”, or “Xpress Cash”, among others. Daily paid advertisements were used to reach wider audiences.

 

When potential victims engaged, gang members impersonated bank officials using real names and doctored business card images to build credibility. Victims were asked to provide personal and financial information under the pretext of applying for a card. The scammers then directed victims to video call them while logging into their banking apps, allowing them to record on-screen data, including account balances.

 

If victims had limited funds, they were advised to consolidate money from other accounts to improve approval chances. Those with substantial funds were coerced into opening high-limit debit cards. The scammers captured key card information, including 16-digit card numbers, CVV codes and expiry dates, then used it to make online purchases. They would subsequently obtain the OTP (one-time password) via further deception and finalise the transactions before blocking all further contact with the victims.

 

The purchased items, mainly gold and luxury goods, were delivered to condominiums with lenient parcel-handling policies. The gang used private courier services to collect and redistribute the items to avoid detection. The proceeds were then converted into cash to fund extravagant lifestyles, including renting a condo in central Bangkok for 30,000 baht per month, partying and gambling trips across the border.

 

Data retrieved from the suspects’ electronic devices revealed screen recordings and images of more than 400 victims. The scam reportedly began in mid-2023 and continued until their arrest. Police estimate the total losses at over 20 million baht.

 

All three suspects confessed to the charges. Mr. Krongrat, identified as the ringleader, allegedly claimed he was inspired to carry out the fraud after being a victim of a similar scam. Instead of warning others, he chose to replicate the tactic to make easy money.

 

Authorities are now expanding the investigation to determine the full extent of the damage and whether additional accomplices were involved. The suspects are being held by the Crime Suppression Division and will face prosecution under Thailand’s stringent cybercrime and fraud laws.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-06-29

 

 

 

[Emdog]

I see a future in government ministry in this guy.