Police bust mule account network - Bangkok Post
Law enforcement agents work during the official launch of the 'Highway Scam Hunter EP.5' operation. The Central Investigation Bureau and the Anti-Online Scam Center are collaborating to dismantle a syndicate supplying corporate mule accounts to call center scam networks.(Photo: Wassayos Ngamkham) Police have arrested three alleged organisers of a network supplying corporate mule accounts to online scammers, bringing the number of suspects detained to 56.
The investigation is linked to at least 130 other fraud cases involving losses of more than 250 million baht.
Pol Col Pakkapol Suchon, superintendent of Highway Police Sub-Division 2, announced the arrests on Thursday at the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).
The suspects, identified as May, Tum and Yok, allegedly recruited account holders, controlled transactions and arranged cash withdrawals. Another 53 people linked to corporate mule accounts had previously been arrested.
The investigation began after a victim was lured by a Facebook advertisement for stock trading and contacted via LINE by people posing as investment experts. After being promised attractive returns, the victim transferred more than 111.69 million baht in 122 transactions.
When the victim tried to withdraw the money, they were repeatedly told to pay additional fees, guarantees and taxes.
Police traced the payments to company accounts and examined financial records, chat messages, photographs and identity verification data to identify the alleged controllers.
Investigators said May recruited account holders and controlled withdrawals, while Tum helped open accounts and withdraw cash. Yok allegedly advised account holders to contact her when accounts were frozen, claiming she had contacts who could help prepare documents and facilitate the unfreezing process.
The network reportedly obtained accounts by registering companies under recruits' names, taking over troubled businesses or renting existing corporate accounts. Some recruits were offered up to 30,000 baht to serve as company directors.
Although the companies had no genuine business operations, their accounts were used to receive money from fraud victims before the funds were transferred or withdrawn in cash.
Account holders allegedly faced legal consequences when problems arose.
Investigators also found corporate documents used to register 40 mobile numbers. One was allegedly used by a caller impersonating a HomePro employee to defraud a victim of tens of thousands of baht. All 40 numbers were suspended.
The suspects face charges including fraud by impersonation, computer crime, money laundering, unlawful association and criminal conspiracy.
