PATTANI, THAILAND – A 22-year-old Thai woman, Maythika Noisuwan, was arrested in Pattani province on January 24 in connection with an online job scam that defrauded victims of substantial sums of money. The arrest followed a warrant issued by the Chiang Mai Provincial Court on August 6, 2024, and was made under charges of collaboration in defrauding the public and committing fraud by entering false information into a computer system.
Maythika Noisuwan, who was apprehended in the parking lot of Pattani Railway Station, confessed to her involvement in the scam during police interrogation. She explained that she was tricked by a Chinese criminal gang into opening several bank accounts, which were later used in fraudulent activities. According to Police Major General Witthaya Sribunsroek, the acting provincial police chief, Maythika was forced to participate under duress, including being detained in a casino in Poipet, Cambodia, where she was coerced into scanning her face for banking transactions.
The scam, which targeted individuals looking for online jobs, promised commissions for liking and promoting products or clicking on stock trading website links. Victims were required to pay a security deposit in exchange for payment, but once the money was sent, the scammers cut off all communication, leaving victims defrauded. Some individuals lost as much as 60,000 baht in the scheme.
Maythika, who had lost her job and sought an online currency exchange position, became a victim herself before being forced to cooperate with the criminals. After escaping the casino and returning to Thailand, she was arrested for her involvement in facilitating the fraud. Her arrest highlights the dangers of online job scams and the importance of verifying legitimate job offers.
The Department of Employment (DoE) has urged job seekers to ensure that any overseas job agencies are properly registered to avoid falling victim to similar illegal schemes. The authorities are continuing their investigation into the wider criminal network behind the scam.