House Police Commission discusses action against call-centre scams
Beauty pageant contestant Charlotte, who was defrauded by a gang, provides more information
The Police Commission of the House of Representatives on Thursday held a meeting to review progress of legal actions against call-centre scams.
The meeting included Charlotte Austin, a prominent beauty queen who had been defrauded of a significant sum of money by scammers. Representatives from relevant agencies also attended to provide additional information.
Before the meeting, Chaichana Detdecho, the chairperson of the Police Commission, said they had received reports about a "call centre gang" operated by a Chinese illegal business group. Their primary office is reportedly on the 27th floor of a building in Poipet, Cambodia, with the 25th floor used as a base for managing mule accounts to launder money scammed from Thai victims.
The scam that targeted Ms Charlotte involved impersonators claiming to be officials from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI). Chaichana revealed that his own daughter had been targeted by a similar scheme.
He elaborated that operations on the 27th floor were led by a Chinese national known as "Xiao Ma". Efforts by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) to shut down the office have been hindered, as Cambodian authorities allow arrests only with valid warrants. Moreover, access to the building is restricted to tenants.
Recruitment for these scams often involves middlemen deceiving labourers with promises of jobs in casinos. Recruits are instructed to prepare bank accounts, identification cards, and phones before being transported to Aranyaprathet district. From there, they are taken across the border through informal crossings. Once in Cambodia, they are escorted to the designated building.
Chaichana explained that funds obtained through these scams are funnelled into mule accounts, transferred to financial institutions, and eventually converted into cryptocurrency. He noted that the nature of the scams has evolved, with Chinese nationals now targeting not only Thai victims but also their fellow citizens.
He assured the public of the CCIB's dedication to solve all cases, emphasising:
"Ms Charlotte’s status as a Miss Grand contestant does not influence our investigation. We treat every case with equal importance and ensure thorough action. The government, under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is committed to combating call centre gangs."
