Bangkok: CIB police have apprehended individuals posing as government agencies to distribute fake links, deceiving people into installing malicious apps.
According to Thai News Agency, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested individuals involved in a fraudulent scheme that impersonated government agencies to trick victims into downloading apps. This operation resulted in financial losses exceeding 2.4 million baht. The Central Investigation Bureau's Special Operations Division specifically targeted this criminal activity, leading to the arrest of a suspect identified as Ms. Joy, aged 36. The arrest was executed under an arrest warrant issued by the Min Buri Criminal Court at the Southern Bus Terminal located on Borommaratchachonnani Road, Chim Phli Subdistrict, Taling Chan District.
In early 2024, a victim was deceived by a text message purportedly from the Department of Treasury. The message instructed the recipient to click a link to confirm their eligibility for government funds, warning that failure to act within a given timeframe could result in the forfeiture of benefits or welfare programs. Trusting the message, the victim clicked the link and followed the provided directions, later discovering a substantial amount of 2,420,000 baht had been withdrawn from their bank account. The victim promptly contacted their bank and reported the crime to the police.
The police team conducting the investigation found that Ms. Joy had fled to the southern region but was tracking her movements back to Bangkok. Using this intelligence, they were able to locate her and execute the arrest warrant. During interrogation, Ms. Joy denied all charges brought against her.