Police Nab Woman Running Mule Accounts in Call Centre Scam

Picture courtesy of CIB

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested a 24-year-old woman in Pattaya for allegedly operating “mule accounts” to launder money for an international call centre scam, with some funds traced to the Philippines.

The suspect, identified as Ms. Chatralikarn, was charged with multiple offences, including fraud, conspiracy to launder money and using false information in computer systems to defraud the public. She was apprehended in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province.

The case stems from an investigation into a call centre operation that lured victims into investing in stock sales via Facebook pages, before moving communications to LINE open chats. The scam involved over 200 “mule accounts” sending messages to boost sales figures. Victims were then deceived into transferring money to these accounts.

Police discovered that one of the accounts was used to withdraw cash at shopping centres in Pattaya, which was subsequently handed to a Chinese national. The individual was arrested earlier along with assets worth more than 10 million baht.

Further investigation revealed another mule account was used to transfer substantial sums overseas through online banking services, with multiple transfers traced to accounts in the Philippines. Evidence collected led to the arrest of Ms. Chatralikarn, who had registered the account for international transfers. Cooperation with Pattaya Tourist Police, who monitored her movements through AI and surveillance cameras, facilitated her capture.

The operation was conducted under the direction of Pol Lt Gen Jiraphop Puridej, Commander of the CIB, with Pol Maj Gen Athip Pongsivaphi, Pol Col Chitsanupong Waidee, and their team overseeing the arrests.

Ms. Chatralikarn has been handed over to investigators for prosecution, as authorities continue to probe the scope of the transnational fraud network.

  Adapted by Asean Now from CIB 2025-08-31