Pathum thani: Police rescued a male student who was allegedly tricked into a money laundering and ransom demand, losing over 1 million baht. The online anti-fraud center tracked down and rescued a male student who was deceived into believing he was involved in a money laundering case. He was forced to stage a scene where he was tied up to deceive his parents into believing he was being held for ransom, losing over 1 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, police from Pak Khlong Rangsit Police Station rescued a male student from an apartment in Mueang Pathum Thani District after his parents filed a complaint with Satuk Police Station in Buriram Province. They reported that their son had been kidnapped and threatened by scammers who forced him to transfer money into their account. The victim had already transferred nearly 1 million baht between January 11-12, 2026.
After receiving the report, local police investigated and located the apartment in question. They then coordinated with the building management to assist. They knocked on the door, and the victim opened it, visibly frightened. The police quickly showed their identification and calmed him down. Upon questioning, it was revealed that the perpetrator had made phone calls and video calls, impersonating a police officer from Muang Loei Police Station and an official from the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), deceiving the male student into believing he was involved in a money laundering case. He then forced him to transfer money for a verification of his innocence. The first payment, totaling 490,000 baht, was made by his guardians.
The perpetrator then claimed that the victim was unsafe and ordered him to move to an apartment or daily hotel. He instructed him to stage a scene of being assaulted and even forced him to tie himself up, providing him with rope and red paint to make fake blood. He then forced him to video call his parents, falsely claiming he had been kidnapped, and demanded an additional 500,000 baht before authorities intervened and rescued him. Following the rescue, officers immediately took the victim to his parents. Upon arrival, the boy ran to hug his family and expressed his gratitude to the police for their help.
The Anti-Online Fraud Center (ACSC) warns parents, children, and youth that if they encounter such scams, they should remain calm and not be deceived. Immediately call the nearest police station or the hotline 1441.