Charlotte Austin, a beauty queen affiliated with Miss Grand Thailand, has recently fallen victim to a sophisticated scam that resulted in a loss of 4 million baht. The scam was allegedly orchestrated by a cybercriminal gang that used a common tactic to deceive their victims. According to reports, the perpetrators coerced Austin into a continuous 24-hour video call, where they posed as cyber police officers.
The criminals falsely claimed that Austin’s name had been linked to illegal activities involving a bank account, and in order to clear her name, she was pressured into transferring money for supposed verification purposes. This type of scam is gaining traction in Thailand, with criminals impersonating law enforcement officers to dupe victims into transferring funds to fake accounts.
The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) is actively investigating the incident but has not yet been able to contact Charlotte Austin directly. Police are waiting for her formal complaint to proceed with legal actions. The investigation is focused on tracking down the scammers’ accounts and phone numbers, hoping to gather enough information to identify and arrest the criminals responsible.
Police Lieutenant General Trirong Phiwpan, the acting head of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, stated that once the news was made public, they immediately instructed Police Major General Chatchapantakan Klaiklueang, the head of CCIB Division 1, to launch a full investigation into the case.
While authorities continue to search for more leads, it is believed that Austin may be preoccupied with personal matters and has not yet been able to engage with the police. The CCIB has urged her to come forward with any information that may help in recovering the lost funds and identifying the cybercriminals involved.
In related news, a separate case involving cybercrime came to light when a popular Twitter personality with over 30,000 followers was recently arrested for impersonating a relative and swindling 50,000 baht from a victim. The suspect, identified as Mathurin from Maha Sarakham province, was apprehended on December 5 after returning from Malaysia. Mathurin had reportedly been using OTP (one-time password) codes to facilitate the small payments, which she later claimed were made at the request of a supposed relative.
The arrest was carried out by Pramote Chanbungkaew, head of Phetkasem Police Station, after the victim, Natorn, filed a complaint with the authorities. The case highlights the growing problem of fraudsters impersonating family members or loved ones to extract money from unsuspecting victims.
As both investigations unfold, it is clear that scams, especially those involving cybercriminals impersonating police officers or loved ones, are becoming an increasingly widespread issue in Thailand. Police continue to warn residents to remain vigilant and avoid sharing sensitive information or making payments to suspicious contacts.
