THAILAND (TR) – Authorities here have dismantled a major telecom fraud syndicate operating out of a luxury Bangkok mansion, arresting 15 people — including four Japanese men — for targeting victims back in Japan, reports Fuji News Network (Sep. 17).
The operation’s headquarters was a “palace-like” residence rented for an exorbitant 900,000 baht (approx. 4.2 million yen) per month.
Inside, the sprawling mansion was systematically divided into specialized workspaces, including dedicated rooms for placing fraudulent calls.
Among the 15 suspects taken into custody were 14 foreign nationals, four of whom are Japanese, and one Thai citizen.
According to local authorities, the ring primarily targeted Japanese citizens by posing as law enforcement. The scammers would call victims and claim, “There is a suspicious financial transaction on your account,” using the fabricated threat to coerce them into transferring funds.
A raid of the premises uncovered a trove of incriminating evidence, including fraud scripts written in Japanese, fake police badges, and uniform patches bearing the names of Japanese prefectural police departments.
Thai police are now hunting for the alleged mastermind and instructor behind the ring, a Chinese man believed to currently be hiding out in Thailand.
