500 Nakhon Phanom residents escape fraud charges by closing fake bank accounts
Residents in Nakhon Phanom province filed police complaints on Tuesday after learning that bank accounts had been opened in their names for criminal activity.
As many as 500 people from Renu Nakhon, Na Kae and That Phanom districts went to banks to close their accounts to protect themselves from cybercrime offences.
Yaowarat (last name withheld), a 53-year-old resident of Renu Nakhon, said an agent had shown up at the end of last year to get their documents, such as ID card copies.
“The agent claimed he will use these documents to get memberships of a political party and receive government welfare,” she said.
She added that the agent also promised 300 to 400 baht in cash for every person who handed over their personal documents.
Yaowarat said the victims later realised that the agent had used their documents to open bank accounts that were used to circulate funds of more than 100,000 baht.
Some people have also been charged with possessing bank accounts used by criminals, she added.
Meanwhile, Nakhon Phanom police chief Pol Maj-General Thawatchai Tungpao said people have filed police complaints on this issue in 12 districts.
He added that possessing bank accounts used by criminals is considered a violation of the 2023 Cybercrime Prevention Act.
“We call on people who possess bank accounts used by criminals to file complaints with the police and close their bank accounts, so they can escape legal prosecution,” he said.
He said police officers have been instructed to investigate the case, adding that the so-called agent is on the run.
