Police arrest 14 suspects tied to online investment scam that swindled retiree out of millions life savings
Police arrested 14 suspects who allegedly swindled a retired nurse out of her life savings in Thailand.
Cybercrime officers launched nationwide raids to dismantle the gang, which allegedly used social media to lure the victim into a fake online investment scheme.
The retiree, from Mae Hong Son province, was reportedly persuaded into investing in high-return shares.
The suspects were said to have earned her trust by giving her investment advice, before inviting her onto the bogus application 'CAPFAST'.
The alleged victim transferred more than eight million baht over 21 transactions since October 2025.
The app later falsely claimed she earned more than 37 million baht in profits.
But when she tried to withdraw the money, she was made to pay another 9.6 million baht in fake taxes and 'analysis fees'.
The retiree only realised she had been duped when she was completely locked out of her account.
She filed a report with police, with losses amounting to a staggering 17.6 million baht.
Authorities said the transactions were traced, leading to 35 related bank accounts, including 12 corporate accounts, seven limited partnership accounts, and 16 personal accounts involved.
The scam money was found to have been moved to Laos bank accounts.
Officers on Tuesday arrested 14 suspects in separate raids across Thailand.
They were charged with joint public fraud, importing false information into a computer system in a manner likely to cause public harm, and allowing other people to use their bank accounts while knowing the accounts would be used to commit technology-related crimes.
Regional police commander Lieutenant General Kritthapol Yisakhon said officials are still hunting the remaining suspects.
Police warned the public of online fraud schemes as they announced they had recovered more than 3.1 million baht in five separate scam cases under a crackdown dubbed ‘Money Cash Back'.
