BANGKOK — Thai Metropolitan Police have arrested three Chinese nationals suspected of operating a secondary scam targeting previous fraud victims by posing as legal advisors, authorities announced Thursday.
The arrests took place at 77/90 Soi Ladprao 3, Chomphon Subdistrict, Chatuchak District, on October 23 at 1:00 p.m. following a tip to the 191 emergency hotline about suspicious activity by men who rarely left their residence.
The suspects were identified as Zhang Hailong (38), Liu Shunyin (29), and Wu Zhiqiang (32). Police discovered computer systems loaded with fraudulent scripts translated into English and Spanish, as well as social media chats targeting foreign victims.
Authorities say the group posed as legal consultants promising to recover lost funds, charging victims a 5% “commission”, and then defrauding them again. Financial records show they earned approximately 2 million yuan ($300,000) in their first month of operation starting October 2024.
The suspects operated 29 phones, four SIM box devices, and multiple computers, maintaining multilingual communications with victims. They entered Thailand through different routes: China, Laos, and Cambodia.
They face preliminary charges including importing equipment without customs clearance and operating radio communication devices without licenses. Evidence seized includes 4 phone farms, 42 mobile phones, 4 computers, 4 notebooks, 5 routers, and a pocket WiFi device.
Police noted the suspects rented the house for 30,000 baht ($915) per month, using a fraudulent lease to obtain internet services—a tactic commonly used by foreign nationals operating illegally in Thailand.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau, working with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), continues investigating other suspected locations and network members. Authorities urge the public to report suspicious behavior by foreigners or Thai nationals confined to residences or acting in patterns consistent with criminal operations.
