Bangkok: Cyber police and the FBI have dismantled an Indian call center network that defrauded American citizens of over 1.7 million baht. Pol. Lt. Gen. Trirong Phiwpaen, Acting Commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division, along with representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Thailand, Legal Attachés Mr. Benjamin and Mrs. Caroline, announced the arrest of the international scam network. The gang deceived American victims into transferring funds to accounts in Thailand, utilizing corporate mule accounts.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident began on January 10, 2024, when an elderly American woman encountered issues accessing her Microsoft account. She used Google to find a support number, inadvertently contacting a fraudulent number listed on a fake website. The perpetrator, who spoke with an Indian English accent, impersonated a Microsoft representative. He instructed the victim to install a remote control program, subsequently tricking her into believing she received an erroneous refund of
$49,999 instead of $49.99. The victim was then asked to return $49,840 (approximately 1.7 million baht) to a Thai bank account, under the guise that it belonged to Microsoft.
The FBI investigation revealed that the gang frequently deceived Thai individuals seeking loans, collecting personal documents from them. These documents were used by brokers to register as corporate entities, allowing the opening of mule accounts in Thailand to receive funds from international call center scams.
Police later raided a house in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, arresting an Indian suspect and seizing 19 critical pieces of evidence, including electronic devices and ATM cards. Investigations also uncovered that the fraudulently obtained money was used to purchase gold bars, with an Indian man identified as the recipient. Authorities seized accounts valued at over 1 million baht, suspecting a well-organized gang operation.
The investigation led to charges against three Thai individuals, who admitted to providing their pe
rsonal documents to an Indian moneylender in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, unwittingly facilitating the opening of mule accounts. These individuals were prosecuted for allowing unauthorized use of their accounts. Authorities have since secured arrest warrants for two additional Indian suspects, believed to be key figures in the operation. They face charges related to transnational crime, public fraud, and money laundering, with international efforts underway to apprehend the remaining perpetrators.
At the press conference, the Cyber Police, in collaboration with the FBI and U.S. agencies, returned 1,643,349.40 baht to the victims’ representatives. The victims expressed gratitude to the Thai Cyber Police for their role in curbing this transnational crime, highlighting significant international cooperation in combating global cyber crime.