Bangkok: Victims of a call center scam have filed a complaint with the Minister of Justice, alleging they were tricked into working and opening mule accounts in Cambodia. They are pleading for urgent assistance for the more than 3,000 Thai victims.
According to Thai News Agency, the Immanuel Foundation, along with six representatives of victims, including a juvenile, filed a complaint with Justice Minister Pol. Lt. Gen. Ruttapol Naowarat and Department of Special Investigation Director-General Pol. Lt. Col. Yutthana Praedam. The request is for assistance to 128 victims who were deceived by call center scams into applying for jobs online using social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok.
Call center gangs post general job openings for jobs familiar to Thais, such as housekeeping, chef, transportation, and administrative work, offering wages between 12,000 and 30,000 baht per month. When interested applicants are invited to join LINE or Telegram groups, fake members are created who post messages that make people believe there are real applicants, such as photos of their travels, offices, or ID cards, along with cash, to build credibility.
Then, a broker will contact the victim to open several bank accounts, claiming they are salary accounts or work expense accounts, but in reality, they are used for money laundering and technological crimes (mule accounts). Once the accounts are opened, the group will claim that the office in Bangkok is full, and then have the victim travel to Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province, for an internship, which is located on the Thai-Cambodian border, before taking them across the border via natural channels to Cambodia.
Upon reaching their destination in Cambodia, victims are confiscated of their ID cards and mobile phones, forced to reveal their bank account passwords, detained, and forced to work in a call center-like operation, deceiving other Thai citizens into transferring money. Those who refuse to comply are threatened, physically assaulted, or psychologically tortured. Upon returning to Thailand, they are prosecuted for supporting technological crimes and money laundering, despite being both victims of deception and victims of human trafficking. The Foundation also reports that over 3,000 Thais have been tricked into working in Kampong and Poipet and are awaiting assistance.
The Minister of Justice has ordered the Department of Special Investigation to accept the complaint and will assign the Human Trafficking Division to investigate whether the alleged actions constitute human trafficking and transnational crimes. The investigation will proceed as a special case, with the aim of investigating and expanding the investigation to the underlying network.
Foreign media recently reported that a 26-year-old Belarusian model traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, intending to work as a model. However, upon arrival, she was tricked into going to Myanmar and forced to work at a scam center until she died. She was then sold to an organ trafficking gang, which security agencies are investigating.