Crime 18 Foreign Nationals Arrested in Chiang Mai for Running Fraudulent Call Centre

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Workpoint.

 

Eighteen foreign nationals, 12 Chinese and 6 Myanmar citizens, have been arrested in Chiang Mai after police raided a pool villa being used as a base for a sophisticated call centre scam targeting Chinese nationals.

 

The operation was led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchai Phongwiwatchai, Deputy Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5, along with cybercrime suppression teams and related agencies. Acting on a search warrant issued by the Chiang Mai Provincial Court, officers stormed the property in Moo 2, Huai Sai subdistrict, Mae Rim district, where they discovered extensive evidence of online fraud activity.

 

Inside the villa, police seized 8 computers, 32 mobile phones and a large quantity of SIM cards used to communicate with victims in China. The gang allegedly operated 24 hours a day, living and working entirely within the rented property for the past three months.

 

Police reported that the suspects lured victims through social media pages and mobile apps, posing as airline or bank representatives. Victims were deceived into transferring money under the pretext of resolving fictitious issues. In many cases, they were tricked into revealing personal data, including banking information and one-time passwords (OTPs), which were then used to access accounts and transfer funds to criminal networks.

 

The suspects were reportedly paid monthly salaries ranging from 50,000–100,000, depending on their role in the operation.

 

As police moved in, several suspects attempted to flee, with some leaping from the second floor of the villa. Eight individuals were injured during the escape attempt, one sustaining a broken leg and requiring hospital treatment. Others suffered minor injuries, including bruises and abrasions. All suspects were ultimately apprehended at the scene.

 

According to police, many of the Chinese suspects entered Thailand using tourist and student visas, while some were in the country illegally. Authorities believe the group is connected to a wider transnational cybercrime network and are currently working to identify the masterminds and expand the investigation.

 

“This is not an isolated case,” said Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchai. “We are pursuing leads that point to a much larger international criminal organisation behind this operation.”

 

The case underscores growing concerns about the use of Thailand as a base for cyber scams.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Workpoint 2025-07-31

 

 

 

[bg53]

Well done! These scam operations should be stamped out.

[JimHuaHin]

More Chinese criminals.