Photo courtesy of Anadolu
A police operation at an upscale residence outside Bangkok led to the detention of 13 foreigners suspected of running a call-center scheme targeting people in South Korea, according to reports citing Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.
Thai authorities took 12 South Koreans and one Chinese citizen into custody at the property in Samut Prakan province, south of the Thai capital.
Inside the residence, investigators reportedly discovered computers, mobile phones and telecommunications equipment. Authorities also found prepared call scripts and information identifying South Korean targets, according to the reports.
Investigators were looking into allegations that members of the group contacted victims while pretending to be prosecutors or other government officials, a tactic commonly associated with voice-phishing fraud.
The South Korean suspects were also believed to have crossed into Thailand illegally from neighboring countries. Authorities had not disclosed their alleged routes or the circumstances surrounding their entry.
Seoul’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the 12 South Koreans had been detained on suspicion of scam-related offenses. The South Korean Embassy in Thailand was providing consular assistance while Thai authorities continued their investigation.
The arrests came amid a broader regional crackdown on cyberfraud networks in Southeast Asia. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that organized crime groups have expanded scam operations across the region, particularly in areas where criminal networks can move personnel, money and technology across borders.
South Korean and Thai authorities have also been cooperating on investigations into cross-border fraud, including voice-phishing operations. No determination of guilt has been made against those detained, and further details on possible charges were pending the Thai investigation