Cops catch 'scammer posing as government official to steal pensioner's life savings’

Cops arrested an alleged scammer posing as government officials to steal pensioners' life savings in Thailand.

Natthawut, 31, allegedly helped scammers steal more than 400,000 baht from a retired civil servant by allowing them to use his bank account to receive fraudulent funds.

The scam began when the victim was contacted by criminals posing as officials from the Finance Division of the Comptroller General's Department.

They claimed there had been changes to the pension payment system and persuaded the pensioner to add them on LINE.

The scammers then sent a phishing link, which led him to a facial scan supposedly needed to verify his identity.

But the victim's phone screen suddenly froze during the process. When it returned to normal, he checked his bank account - only to find it completely drained of his life savings.

Police traced the stolen funds to Nattawut's account before cops tracked him down to Soi Lat Phrao 122 in Bangkok, where he was arrested on October 5.

During questioning, Nattawut allegedly confessed, claiming he had found an offer through Facebook to sell his bank account for 10,000 baht.

Police Lieutenant General Natthasak Chaowanasai, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said Natthawut was wanted under a Chonburi Provincial Court warrant on charges including theft, unauthorised access to and modification of computer systems, entering false data into a computer system and allowing his account to be used as a money mule.

He added: 'The suspect confessed to all charges, claiming that he was searching for a job via a Facebook group when someone offered him 10,000 baht to open a bank account.

‘He claimed that he was told that the account would be used for a Bitcoin-related business.

‘We handed him over to the inquiry officer at Saen Suk Police Station in Chonburi for further legal proceedings.'

The scheme, which involves fraudsters posing as officials, is a common tactic used by call centre gangs. Many of them are based in Thailand or in neighbouring Cambodia and Myanmar.