BANGKOK — Thai police on Thursday arrested a 26-year-old Malaysian man accused of posing as a government officer to collect cash from an elderly victim in a phone scam that defrauded him of 3.3 million baht ($101,850).
Officers from Don Mueang and Thung Khru police stations apprehended the suspect, identified as Tan, at a hotel on Soi Soranakorn 3 in Don Mueang district under a Criminal Court warrant issued Nov. 7 for fraud and impersonation.
Police seized several items from the suspect, including clothing believed to have been worn during the crime, a black backpack, two mobile phones, a blank SIM card sleeve from AIS, four unused Singaporean SIM cards, one blank SIM card, and three foreign debit cards.
The Scam
According to investigators, the arrest followed a complaint filed Nov. 5 by a 70-year-old man who said he received a call from someone claiming to be a police officer. The caller alleged that the victim’s bank account was linked to mule accounts and money laundering.
The scammer told the victim to add a LINE account under the name “Por Pom,” who claimed to be an officer from Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station. The fraudster sent messages, fake documents, and initiated a video call to discuss the man’s assets, instructing him to prepare them for “inspection.”
Convinced the call was genuine, the victim withdrew cash, sold personal possessions, and gathered 3.3 million baht ($101,850). The scammer maintained video contact throughout, monitoring the victim’s actions.
The Handoff
The victim was directed to deliver the money to a gas station on Pracha Uthit Road in Thung Khru district, near the local police station. The Malaysian suspect, described as a well-dressed man wearing glasses, a medical mask, and a shirt bearing the Comptroller General’s Department insignia, arrived to collect the cash. He claimed to be a government officer conducting an inspection and assured the victim that the money would be returned after verification — before quickly disappearing.
Suspect’s Statement
Through an interpreter, Tan told police he previously worked at a casino in Cambodia but lost his job when the business stopped hiring foreign workers. He said he found a “delivery job” in Thailand via Facebook, claiming he was only instructed to collect and deliver items for 1,000 Malaysian ringgit (about 7,000 baht or $220). Tan also claimed the SIM cards found in his possession were for resale to tourists.
Police said the investigation is ongoing as they work to identify and arrest other members of the scam network.
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