Bangkok: A Chinese call center gang was busted in the heart of Bangkok after swindling a 65-year-old woman out of 34 million baht, with a second attempt to steal another 5 million baht before being caught in a sting operation. The entire gang was arrested.
According to Thai News Agency, the Bangkok Metropolitan Police launched an operation to dismantle an international call center gang, arresting three Chinese nationals after they swindled a 65-year-old Thai woman out of more than 34 million baht. The suspects were subsequently apprehended on the spot following a planned exchange for an additional 5 million baht in cash. Police also expanded their investigation, arresting accomplices at a residence in the Don Mueang area.
On April 17, 2026, at 5:40 PM, under the direction of Pol. Lt. Gen. Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and other high-ranking officers, officers from the Investigation Division 3, Metropolitan Police Bureau, joined forces with Thung Maha Mek Police Station and Don Mueang Police Station to launch an operation to hunt down and arrest a call center scam gang operating in Bangkok.
The operation resulted in the arrest of three Chinese nationals: Mr. Yan (pseudonym), 43 years old; Mr. Guo Zhong (pseudonym), 40 years old; and Mr. Jin Mei (pseudonym), 47 years old. They were apprehended at the entrance of Soi Suan Plu, Thung Maha Mek Subdistrict, Sathorn District. Further investigation led to the arrest of additional accomplices at a hotel in the Song Prapha Road area, Si Kan Subdistrict, Don Mueang District.
Initially, the charges filed were "conspiracy to defraud the public, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering."
Following a previous incident, a 65-year-old female victim filed a police report at Thung Maha Mek Police Station after being scammed by a call center gang. The scammers claimed her national ID card had been used to open a phone number linked to a drug trafficking network and threatened her, demanding she contact government agencies.
The perpetrators then instructed the victims to add them on Line and sent fake official identification cards and documents to build credibility. This caused the victims to become frightened and believe the scam, leading them to transfer money for verification on several occasions. The perpetrators also arranged for cash handovers in various locations, resulting in damages totaling over 34,721,484.48 baht.
However, the perpetrator did not stop their activities and contacted the victim again to arrange for the collection of an additional 5 million baht in cash. The victim became suspicious and sought help from the police.
Subsequently, the authorities devised a counter-plan. They had the victim pretend to deliver the money as arranged, while deploying officers to monitor the situation. At the appointed time, one of the suspects arrived to receive the bag of cash. Upon receiving the money, the officers immediately revealed themselves and arrested the suspect.
The investigation then quickly expanded, leading to the arrest of two more accomplices residing in the Don Mueang area, along with the seizure of cash and several mobile phones used in the crime.
The investigation revealed that all the suspects were part of a transnational call center operation with a systematic division of labor, including those responsible for fraud, receiving payments, and managing assets. They converted the obtained money to conceal its flow.
Initially, officers detained the suspects along with the seized evidence and handed them over to investigators at Thung Maha Mek Police Station for legal proceedings. They are also working to expand the investigation to track down other members of the criminal network, believing that there are many more members involved.
Police are warning the public to be wary of such scams, especially those involving impersonation of government officials. They emphasize that no agency requests the transfer of money or the handover of cash for verification. If you encounter any suspicious activity, you should report it to the authorities immediately.