How Quick-Thinking Bank Staff and a Nosey Note Foiled a 1 Million Baht Scam in Chachoengsao
What began as a routine trip to the bank for a 71-year-old pensioner turned into a high-stakes drama worthy of a midday soap — except this time the heroes were the bank tellers. On the afternoon of September 18, officers from Chachoengsao City Police Station, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekkapop Sakulsayamphu, were called to Krungthai Bank’s Provincial Hall branch after alert staff flagged a suspicious withdrawal pattern that nearly cost an elderly man 1 million baht.
The two main players were identified as 57-year-old Tor from Sisaket and 71-year-old Samak from Tha Takiap. According to bank staff, the pair had earlier visited the Tha Takiap branch to request a replacement passbook — Tor explained that the original had been lost. With the fresh passbook in hand, the duo set off on what became an alarming two-stop withdrawal spree.
- First stop: a department store branch, where 300,000 baht was withdrawn.
- Second stop: Krungthai Bank’s Provincial Hall branch, where they attempted — and succeeded — in withdrawing another 700,000 baht.
That unusual split of 300,000 then 700,000 set off alarm bells. Staff across the branches quickly coordinated, sharing suspicious behavior reports and tracking the pair’s movements. When employees followed the pair outside, they found only Samak standing there, bewildered. Tor, however, was seen heading briskly toward a car clutching the full pile of cash.
Thanks to the bank team’s split-second decision to alert police, officials and local volunteers intercepted the vehicle before it could drive off. Inside: the cash. The haul was intact — 300,000 baht neatly tucked into envelopes and another 700,000 in loose banknotes. A search of the car turned up several mobile phones (one identified as belonging to Samak) and a chilling little scrap of paper that made investigators sit up even straighter.
The note listed multiple names with account numbers, each annotated with a directive to transfer 990,000 baht. Taken together, the handwritten list suggested this was not an isolated incident but possibly part of a wider, organised scheme — potentially targeting multiple victims for amounts approaching 10 million baht in total.
When police questioned Samak, his story shifted. He initially told officers he was withdrawing cash for his grandson, but later admitted that Tor was not a relative and had only just met him. Tor, for his part, claimed he was only helping after being invited by Samak. The narrative didn’t add up — and then Samak’s family stepped in.
At about 4:30pm, Samak’s son-in-law, 51-year-old Sapphawi, arrived at the station and offered a starkly different version: his father-in-law may have been lured away under false pretences. He stated that the money actually belonged to Samak’s late wife and that the passbook had been in her possession since the account was transferred. In other words, a vulnerable pensioner appeared to have been manipulated into withdrawing his late wife’s savings.
Police are now investigating the full motive and whether the other names on that note link to a broader fraud ring. The discovery of multiple phones and written instructions to transfer large sums suggests organised planning rather than a spontaneous one-off con. Local media footage of the incident — shared by MorningNewsTV3 (เรื่องเล่าเช้านี้) on X — quickly circulated, helping authorities piece together the timeline and publicise the warning.
What this incident teaches us
There are a few clear takeaways from this near-miss:
- Vigilant bank staff save lives (and livelihoods). Quick recognition of odd withdrawal patterns and good communication between branches prevented a likely large-scale theft.
- Elderly people remain prime targets. Scammers frequently use charm, confusion, or false urgency to persuade seniors to withdraw or transfer funds — often with a supposed helper present.
- Small details can crack big cases. That scrap of paper with names and account numbers may be the lead that uncovers a network and prevents further loss.
For now, the cash has been recovered and the police investigation is underway. Whether Tor is charged as an accomplice, or whether other suspects emerge from the names on the note, remains to be seen. One thing is certain: if it weren’t for watchful bank employees and a nervous note left behind, this incident could have had a far sadder ending.
If you have elderly relatives or friends, now’s the time to talk. Remind them not to let strangers handle their banking, never to sign or transfer funds under pressure, and to call family if anything about a bank visit feels off. A little precaution can stop a lot of tears — and a lot of baht — from walking out the door.
Incredible work by the tellers — that split withdrawal pattern should be a red flag everywhere. It worries me that a 71-year-old could be so easily led into draining a loved one’s savings. If banks trained staff to look for this routinely, many scams could be stopped.
This reeks of a classic money mule setup, they probably planned the two stops to avoid limits. Why are passbook replacements still so easy to obtain without checks?
The scrap of paper listing accounts is damning evidence of organisation — that suggests a local cell or coordinator. Police should analyse phone metadata and transaction histories urgently to map the network. This could easily scale up to dozens of victims if not crushed.
But banks never take responsibility, they always point to the customer. If the passbook replacement was lax, the bank played a role in enabling this fraud.
Sam has a point — vigilance has to include proper ID checks, not just staff intuition. Still, credit to the employees who communicated between branches and acted fast.
I work with seniors and I can tell you they trust easily, especially if someone appears friendly and helpful. We need simple guides for elders about banking safety, not just warnings after the fact.
My family is furious and scared, this was my father-in-law’s late wife’s money and he was confused. He remembers little and we think he was manipulated, so please stop blaming him for being elderly and vulnerable.
This reads like elder abuse more than a random theft; preying on grief and trust is cruel and criminal. There should be legal protections that make large withdrawals from older accounts require a waiting period or family notification.
Thanks Anya, we have asked the bank for CCTV and transaction logs, and we’re pressing charges. I want others to know this can happen to anyone and to watch out for friendly strangers at banks.
Family should also keep copies of important documents and discuss access to funds, especially after a spouse dies. Preventative steps can stop opportunists before they get a chance.
From a criminology perspective, the note and multiple phones indicate hierarchical coordination and possibly technological facilitation like SIM swapping. Law enforcement should trace SIM registrations and the pattern of withdrawals to identify any orchestrators beyond the two detained.
Tracing SIMs can be slow, but banks could block large cash withdrawals instantly upon suspicious patterns. Why do banks still allow huge unverified cash outs without real-time fraud scoring?
Real-time scoring is feasible, but it requires investment and regulatory pressure. Public awareness campaigns and mandatory anti-fraud protocols for high-risk demographics would reduce incidents.
There is legal precedent for holding accomplices liable even if the elder was the one making the withdrawal, especially if coercion or deception is proven. Prosecutors should look at conspiracy charges.
This is scary, I would be too scared to go to the bank now. Why don’t they just arrest everyone who looks suspicious?
Kid12, banks and police need evidence; people can look suspicious for lots of reasons. Teach grandparents simple rules: call family before big withdrawals and never hand cash to strangers.
I feel bad for the old man but the system is broken when you can withdraw almost a million baht in cash with minimal checks. Someone inside or outside allowed it, and that needs fixing fast.
As a former bank security officer, I can say staff training saves lives and savings. Still, technologies like biometric verification for passbook changes would stop many of these social-engineering attacks.
Biometrics sound good but they cost money and rural branches are underfunded. The government should subsidise safety upgrades, not leave it up to each bank to decide.
Elderly people are targeted because scammers know their routines and emotions. Health workers should get short training modules to advise families about financial safety during checkups and visits.
I don’t trust that everything was recovered. How often do banks report full recoveries when there might be ‘untraceable’ transfers later? The story reads a bit like PR for the bank.
Skeptic raises a valid point: transparency is crucial. Independent audits of the recovered funds and public release of procedural details (redacting personal info) would build trust.
We published CCTV clips and the police statement; our goal was to inform and warn the public, not to defend any institution. More footage has been shared with authorities for their investigation.
Those multiple phones could hold vital location history and messaging threads. Forensics on the devices might reveal handlers coordinating withdrawals in real time.
Back in my day you trusted your neighbours but you didn’t give strangers your money. Sad that charm alone can take away a lifetime of savings now.
Why isn’t there a mandatory hold or verifiable cooling-off period for withdrawals above a certain threshold from accounts belonging to seniors? That small rule could save millions.
A cooling-off period helps but could also create hardship for legitimate sudden needs, like funerals. Perhaps a quick verification call to a trusted contact could be a balanced solution.
The note with names pointing to nearly 10 million baht is terrifying. This isn’t two guys on a whim; it’s organized and ruthless. Authorities must move fast to prevent copycats.
If prosecutors can link transfers and testimonies to a ring, modern anti-money-laundering laws allow for asset freezes and insurance claims on behalf of victims. Families should pursue civil remedies parallel to criminal charges.
To everyone suggesting tech fixes: implementation will take years, so community measures matter now. Neighbours, clerks, and family should be empowered to flag unusual activity and act immediately.