A fake phone seller was arrested by the Crime Suppression Division Police. She has been selling phones through online platforms for over 4 years.
The suspect uses someone else’s account number and then withdraws the money in cash. Finally, after 3 arrest warrants, the woman was successfully arrested in Bangkok.
Jiraporn known as Beer 23 years old from Roi Et Province is wanted by a Criminal arrest warrant for fraud and for false information online from the Dusit Police Station, Criminal arrest warrant issued by the Thonburi Court under the same charges from Bang Kun Tian Police Station, and an arrest warrant on charges of fraud and violations of the Computer-Related Crime Act BE 2550 (2007).
On 4 October 2019, one of the victims came to file a report with the police. This was not a victim who lost money to Beer but is someone Beer took advantage of to commit her online crimes. Beer borrowed her bank account after knowing each other for only a few months. She informed the victim that her ATM card had been lost and she needed an account for a relative to transfer her some money. Beer also informed her that the money was for her rent payment. The victim believed Beer and thought she needed the help so she agreed to do so.
Several transfers came in amounting to almost 50,000 THB. Beer told the victim to withdraw cash and deposit it again into a different account. The account was a stranger to the victim, this triggered some red flags so the victim decided to file a report with the police just for safety. The police took this as a lead and started the investigation on the case, where they discovered Beer is the person with 3 arrest warrants out for her.
Beer never stayed anywhere long, she always kept moving to avoid the police. Officials received information that Beer opened a restaurant in Sai Mai District, Bangkok. They went to inspect the area and arrested Beer on the spot. The suspect admitted that she borrowed the victim’s bank account instead of using her own account for transfers from buyers online.
Beer uses online platforms including Facebook to advertise phones 50% cheaper than the market price. She has been doing this for at least 4 years. Many buyers wanting such phones are excited to grab the deal and end up transferring money to her, but of course, none of them ever heard from her again or received their orders. Instead of using her own bank account with her real name, beer borrows others’ accounts without their knowledge of the real source of her income. This also protects the victims from knowing her real identity.
A popular phone Beer will use to lure victims is the iPhone because the market price, online price, and the second-hand price is often not too far from each other unlike android phones that can drop drastically in retail stores vs. online stores. Beer uses the money to live daily life and to find some fun in gambling the cash away. The suspect will be prosecuted by the Dusit Police Station.
