PATTAYA, Thailand – On August 30, immigration police conducted a successful raid on a luxurious villa in the Baan Yai Muk area of Pong Sub-district, East Pattaya, taking down a Chinese call centre fraud ring operating from the premises. The villa, a sprawling two-story mansion set on a 5-rai plot surrounded by high fencing, housed 15 Chinese nationals engaged in scamming fellow Chinese citizens through elaborate call centre operations.
During the raid, police discovered the suspects actively working on computers, coordinating fraudulent activities. The officers seized 18 computers, 90 mobile phones, and a detailed list of over 1,000 client accounts. Among those arrested was the leader of the gang, 40-year-old Hu Xin from China.
The investigation revealed that the gang had rented the villa for 150,000 baht per month and were primarily involved in investment fraud related to stock trading. Their operation was sophisticated, involving multiple stages designed to lure and deceive victims. Initially, scammers would reach out to potential victims, inviting them to join a WeChat group where they discussed profitable stock opportunities.
Once engaged, victims were encouraged to join a new app, where the scammers, posing as investment advisors, provided daily stock recommendations and financial advice. Victims were then asked to install apps supposedly for learning about stock trading, with the instructors being accomplices in the scam. Initially, small rewards were given to build trust, but as confidence grew, victims were persuaded to invest larger sums of money, which were subsequently stolen.
Hu Xin claimed that the operation had only been running for three days. The total amount of money involved is still under investigation, but authorities believe it could range from tens to hundreds of millions of baht. All the arrested individuals had entered Thailand on tourist visas.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Ittipon Ittisarnronnachai, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, who led the raid, stated that the investigation is ongoing. “We are working to expand our probe and dismantle the entire network behind this fraudulent operation,” he said. The police are determined to uncover the full extent of the gang’s activities and bring all involved to justice.
