Woman arrested over alleged ‘romance scam’

Suspect Soithipwan Orimobi, 36, who was wanted on charges of fraud and entering false information into a computer, was presented to the press Friday along with her cellphone, passport and money transaction documents.

Udon Thani police deputy chief Colonel Chawit Srijan said “romance scam” gangs duped women using Thai accomplices by promising them marriages to foreign men and the women would send money to the people they thought they were in a relationship after being presented with various needs for the money. 

The Udon Thani victim was wooed since last October via Facebook by a person claiming to be a wealthy foreigner until she fell in love and wired the Bt980,000 in eight instalments. 

The victim filed a complaint in April, resulting in a police probe that identified eight individuals who opened bank accounts in exchange for up to Bt10,000 each.