Crime buster Surachet Hakpal – known in the Thai media as “Big Joke” – yesterday announced the arrest of two Nigerian men and two Thai women married to Nigerians for running a so called romance scam.
The gang was masquerading as a white westerner in the IT business online and chatting with many Thai women. The sting came when the victims were asked to transfer money to effect the passage of $100,000 gifts caught up in customs.
Arrested were Kingsley Chukwudam, the gang leader and his online henchman Chinwadu Chiawo. Their arrests led to Soraya Prasuansri and Laksika Obaibekbunam, Thai women married to Nigerians.
Deputy tourist police commissioner Surachet said that their methods were one of many being tried online to fleece the unsuspecting.
The gang have been charged with fraud and obtaining money under false pretenses.
Meanwhile, Surachet said that on Friday sixteen victims of call center scams would be receiving their money back. The total to be handed back is 3 million baht.
Surachet has been the front man of a nationwide crackdown on the illegal call centre gangs since his promotion last year.
(Source:-Thai News Agency)