Thai Police Arrest 2 Vietnamese Men Over 2.5 Million Baht Phone Scam

Thai police have apprehended two Vietnamese nationals attempting to cross the border into Laos, identifying them as key figures in a sophisticated transnational phone scam. Investigators revealed that this ruthless gang successfully defrauded a young university student out of her life savings, totaling nearly 2.5 million Thai baht. The elaborate scheme began in March when the student received a call from someone claiming to be from a major mobile network. The scammer falsely alleged that her identity had been used to open a new phone number linked to serious criminal activities. The student was then transferred to another individual posing as a police officer from Chonburi province. Using aggressive threats, the fake officer instilled intense fear in the student, warning of severe criminal charges if she did not cooperate immediately. Under duress, the scammers instructed her to isolate herself in her dormitory room, cut off all contact with friends and family, and maintain a continuous live video call on her phone. This ensured she could not seek external help. Under immense pressure, the student was told to transfer all her personal money to a designated account to "prove her innocence." Believing she was clearing her name, she emptied both her bank accounts, transferring a total of 2,495,636 baht to five different accounts controlled by the gang. By the time she realized the deception, her money was gone. Following the student's report to Thailand's Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, police collaborated with immigration officers to track the suspects. The two men, identified as Nguyen Van Ngoc and Nguyen Van Tu, were caught attempting to flee into Laos at the Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Nakhon Phanom. They face charges including participation in a transnational crime group, massive public fraud, organized money laundering, and using fake government documents. This case underscores the escalating threat of organized cybercrime in Southeast Asia, with scam networks exploiting vulnerable victims through deceptive tactics. Local police are intensifying prevention efforts and strongly advise the public to remain vigilant, never transfer money to unknown individuals, and to immediately hang up and contact authorities if receiving suspicious calls. Real law enforcement officials will never request account closures or fund transfers over the phone. Source: Chiang Rai Times