BANGKOK, Thailand – Two Chinese nationals, identified as the masterminds behind a major call center scam operating from a neighboring country, were apprehended in Bangkok.
The suspects, Mr. Ye Wanyou and Mr. Li Weijie, were found hiding in a luxury residence in the heart of the city.
The operation was launched following a complaint filed in July 2024 by a victim who was deceived through a Facebook page falsely claiming to assist people who had fallen prey to call center scams. The victim lost over 1 million baht in the fraud.
Investigations revealed that the two Chinese nationals were the key figures orchestrating the scam. They operated from a 20-story building in a neighboring country, employing workers to create fake Facebook pages impersonating Thai government agencies and falsely using images of high-ranking police officers to gain credibility.
They would then target victims who had already been scammed, offering false hope of recovering their lost money, only to defraud them further.
The suspects would cross the border to issue instructions to the call center operatives and then return to Thailand, where they resided in a rented luxury home in Soi Phaholyothin 32 in Chatuchak district.
During the arrest, authorities seized assets worth approximately 15 million baht, including cash in Thai and foreign currencies, luxury brand items, a high-end vehicle, and mobile phones. The mobile devices contained evidence of their operations, such as QR codes, images of SIM box devices, and numerous unused SIM cards.
The two suspects remained silent during the arrest, and the police are expanding their investigation into money laundering and other people involved in the operation. The seized assets will be processed to potentially provide compensation to the victims. (TNA)
