Bangkok Post – Members of international fraud gang arrested

Six suspected members of a call centre fraud ring have been arrested and cash and other assets worth about 30 million baht seized.

Major General Atip Pongsivapai, commander of the Technology Crime Prevention Division, said on Friday that police had busted a gang of fraudsters known as “Lock Star” in raids at four locations in Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani, resulting in the arrests of two Chinese nationals and four Thai nationals.

The two Chinese nationals were identified as Gao Zhivei, 29, and Chen Jue, 28. The Thai suspects were identified only as Thanchote, 33, Chanatthiya, 33, Siva, 33, and Cholada, 27.

They were charged with unlawful assembly, participation in an international criminal organization, public fraud, entering false information into a computer system and money laundering.

Police received reports of victims who had been scammed into investing in digital currency through a fake app called Tidex that promised high returns. The scam involved convincing victims to install the app and transfer money, which was then updated to display the appropriate amounts of digital currency in the app, making it seem legitimate and encouraging further investment.

“Victims are unable to withdraw money because scammers claim there is a tax issue, prompting victims to add more money to the app,” said Lieutenant General Atip.

The scammers then transferred the money to private digital wallets to avoid investigation before selling the cryptocurrency and exchanging it for Thai baht.

The arrests led to the seizure of a luxury home worth more than 12 million baht, two cars, two motorcycles, more than 4 million baht in cash, gold necklaces, luxury watches, designer bags, computers, laptops, smartphones and various digital currencies worth about 2 million baht.