KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — A Malaysian man has been arrested by Thai police in Bangkok for allegedly posing as a government officer to cheat a woman through a phone scam, resulting in losses amounting to 3.3 million baht (RM426,000).
Thai police told Berita Harian that the 26-year-old suspect was detained at a hotel in the Don Mueang district on Thursday.
The report added that officers from the Don Mueang and Thung Khru police stations arrested the man, identified only as Tan, after a court issued a warrant for fraud and impersonation.
“Police also seized several items from the suspect, including clothes believed to have been worn during the crime, a black backpack, two mobile phones, several SIM cards, and three foreign debit cards,” a police spokesman said to the national daily.
The arrest followed a report lodged by a 70-year-old woman who claimed she had received a call from someone claiming to be a police officer.
“The caller alleged that the victim’s bank account was involved in mule account activities and money laundering.
“The scammer then instructed the victim to add a LINE account under the name ‘Por Pom’, supposedly belonging to an officer from Mueang Khon Kaen Police Station.
“The suspect sent messages, fake documents, and even made video calls to discuss the victim’s assets, directing her to prepare them for ‘inspection’,” the spokesman reportedly said.
Believing the call was genuine, the victim withdrew cash, sold personal belongings, and raised 3.3 million baht, which she was told to hand over at a petrol station on Pracha Uthit Road in Thung Khru district, near a local police station.
“The Malaysian suspect later arrived to collect the money, claiming to be a government official conducting an inspection, and assured the victim the funds would be returned after verification — before fleeing the scene,” police said, adding that the victim filed a report after realising she had been scammed.
