An elaborate credit card fraud ring operating in Thailand was uncovered following the arrest of two Chinese tourists trying to buy gold on New Year’s Day, according to the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) of the Royal Thai Police. Thus far the investigation has lead to the arrests of five Chinese suspects who were allegedly members of a credit card fraud syndicate which caused more than 180 million baht (Nearly $5 million in US dollars) in losses to victims in Bangkok.
Thai police were alerted after an employee at the Siam Commercial Bank reported that two Chinese men were trying to buy gold at a shop in Big C Ratchadamri with what he believed to be fraudulent credit cards. One of the men was arrested at the scene, while a second suspect escaped. Police later arrested the second suspect at his hotel as he was attempting to flee in a car with a Chinese license plate.
Upon further investigation authorities traced the license plate to a third suspect, who rented the car in China and was arrested at another hotel in the same district. This then led to the arrest of two additional members of the alleged criminal operation.
Authorities have reported that thus far they have confiscated 182 fraudulent credit cards and various equipment used to carry out the credit card fraud operation to include a credit card terminal, six electronic card readers, a numbering machine, a laminating machine, a card printer, three computer notebooks and 11 passports. Most of the equipment was located in the suspects’ rooms.
During questioning the suspects confessed they had used fraudulent credit cards and fake passports to buy gold in Thailand and later exchanged the gold items for cash as part of the elaborate credit card fraud operation. The suspects travelled to the country several times over the past eight months and would stay for one or two weeks each trip. They would then deposit the cash into a Kasikornbank bank account under the name of Yong Huang, as well as several additional overseas accounts, according to reports. Known losses to victims as a result of the credit card fraud operation total approximately 180 million baht (Nearly $5 million in US dollars).
Thus far the investigation has led to the arrests of four Chinese men to include Zu Jian, 42; Cui Yuan Chang, 31; Tan Guo Ping, 40; and Lui Shujin, 41. The sole Chinese woman in the gang was Zhu Gao Ping, 53. The investigation is currently ongoing as police believe there are others involved.
The Crime Suppression Division is one of the largest components of the Royal Thai Police. The division is responsible for conducting most of the technical investigations of criminal offenses throughout Thailand. Its emergency unit copes with riots and other public disorders, sabotage, counterfeiting, credit card fraud, illegal gambling operations, narcotics trafficking, and the activities of secret societies, and organized criminal associations to include organized retail crime.
