Cyber Police Crack Down on Scam Network Targeting Elderly in Chiang Rai
CHIANG RAI – Thai cyber police have dismantled a scam operation exploiting elderly residents in Chiang Rai by using their LINE accounts for illicit financial activities. Acting on search warrants, officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division arrested three suspects on July 31 in connection with the scheme.
Mr. Tharathapong, 49, from Khon Kaen, was apprehended under a warrant issued by the Provincial Court. Alongside him, Mr. Yutthapong, 46, and Ms. Saengyot, 44, were also arrested under warrants for fraudulent use of electronic cards and engaging in unauthorized financial transactions that caused harm to others or the public.
Police Lieutenant General Trirong Phiewphan, Chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, revealed that the suspects were involved in a sophisticated scam that centered on persuading victims—many of them elderly—to sell their LINE accounts. Unaware of the consequences, victims believed they were simply parting with an unused app profile.
These LINE accounts were then registered with LINE BK, a digital banking service developed through a partnership between LINE and Kasikornbank. Once linked to financial services, the accounts were used to perform unauthorized cash withdrawals, money transfers, and even apply for loans—all without the victims’ knowledge.
Police Major General Kritachaya Bamrungrattanayot, head of the Technology Crime Suppression Division, said the method represented an emerging tactic by call centre scam networks to acquire mule accounts for laundering illegal funds. Many of these criminal networks operate from neighboring Cambodia, but rely on local collectors and mules to facilitate financial flows within Thailand.
The arrests were the result of a coordinated investigation led by Police Colonel Komsan Meepakdee, who explained that the offences occurred primarily in Chiang Rai’s border regions. The scammers would approach elderly residents, often in rural communities, and offer to “buy” their LINE accounts for a small sum. Many did not understand that their accounts, once linked to Line BK, could serve as active banking profiles.
The three suspects arrested served as cash collectors, withdrawing between 300,000 and 500,000 baht per day from ATMs using the illicitly obtained accounts. They delivered the money to criminal contacts across the border in Laos via piers in Chiang Khong district. In return, they received a commission of 1.5% on each withdrawal.
Lt. Gen. Trirong emphasized that the public—particularly vulnerable populations such as the elderly—must be educated about the risks of selling or sharing personal digital accounts. “LINE BK is not just a messaging service,” he said. “It’s a banking tool. When criminals gain access, they can commit large-scale fraud without ever stepping foot inside a bank.”
He also warned that this type of scam is likely to grow, especially via social media, where scammers can easily approach potential victims under false pretenses. “We want to make it clear that selling your account may make you legally liable,” he added. “You’re not just a victim—you could be prosecuted as a participant.”
Police are continuing to track down others connected to the network and have contacted additional victims. Some individuals were aware their accounts could link to banking services, while others—especially older victims—had no idea their identity could be exploited in this way.
Authorities urge anyone approached with suspicious offers to sell online accounts or verify banking identities through apps to report such incidents immediately. Meanwhile, the three arrested suspects remain in custody as investigations expand across Thailand’s northern provinces.
