Police arrest 3 in mule account scam network targeting children and the elderly, prison sentences handed down
Three suspects arrested for running a cross-border mule account scam supplying accounts to scammers targeting children and the elderly. They face immediate prison sentences under Thai law.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has announced the arrest of three suspects involved in a network supplying mule accounts to scammers, including a 23-year-old man and two women aged 28 and 22, following arrest warrants from the Nong Bua Lamphu Provincial Court. The suspects face charges of aiding and abetting the procurement, advertisement, sale, rental, or loan of bank accounts for use in committing technology-related crimes.
The arrests stem from investigations into a mule account network in Udon Thani. Authorities discovered a large network that sourced mule accounts from Northeastern Thailand and sent them to Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo, to be smuggled into Cambodia.
Investigations revealed that the suspects operated systematically, with specific roles, including sourcing bank passbooks, ATM cards, and mobile phones with activated banking apps to be sent to Cambodia.
The network targeted local villagers in Muang district, Nong Bua Lamphu, particularly children and the elderly, promising them money in exchange for opening bank accounts and verifying their identity via facial recognition on banking apps. The victims were paid only 1,000-1,500 baht per account.
Following an investigation, the police gathered evidence and obtained arrest warrants, leading to the detention of the three suspects. The Nong Bua Lamphu Provincial Court has sentenced each suspect to one year in prison, without suspension.
