PATHUM THANI, Thailand – Bank staff and police stopped a 19-year-old student from handing over another 1.3 million baht to a call-center scam network after he had already lost 1.2 million baht.
The student went to the Government Savings Bank branch at Future Park Rangsit on October 5 seeking to withdraw a large amount of money while remaining on a video call with another person. Bank staff noticed the suspicious behavior and contacted police. Investigators found that the student had already withdrawn 1.2 million baht from a government savings lottery account and handed the cash to a suspected scammer in a shopping center car park in the Rangsit area.
When he returned to the bank to withdraw another 1.3 million baht, staff intervened and police were called, preventing the second payment and limiting the total loss to about 2.5 million baht.
Police then arranged surveillance at the suspected cash collection point and arrested a 25-year-old man who arrived to collect the 1.2 million baht. Officers recovered the cash, and the suspect reportedly said he was responsible for collecting money before passing it to others in the network.
The investigation was expanded to a second meeting point on Thiam Ruam Mit Road in Huai Khwang, Bangkok, where police arrested a 40-year-old man from Macau. He reportedly told officers that his role was to transport money to higher-level handlers. Police are now searching accommodation in Huai Khwang for further evidence and investigating other members and suspected senior figures in the network. Both suspects face charges including jointly defrauding the public by impersonating another person and have been sent to investigators at Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station.
The recovered 1.2 million baht and the additional 1.3 million baht that was prevented from being withdrawn are being processed for return to the victim. Police urged the public to be particularly cautious when anyone on the phone instructs them to withdraw or transfer large sums of money, and to verify such requests with the relevant authorities before taking action.
