In a whirlwind tale that sounds like a plot straight out of a crime thriller, a highly educated 32-year-old engineer, known as Mr. Siwat, found himself ensnared in an intricate scam that ended with him transferring over 8 million baht. The mastermind behind his salvation was none other than social media activist Ekkapop Luangprasert, the enterprising founder of the Sai Mai Tong Rod (Survive) Facebook page. Together, they brought this gripping story to the public’s attention, and oh, how the tale went viral, like hotcakes on a Sunday morning!
Sit tight as we unravel this conundrum: Mr. Siwat, filled to the brim with trust and naiveté, got a call on April 5 from a phony representative of Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI). The caller spun a fantastical yarn about Siwat’s alleged involvement with mule accounts linked to a notorious ex-politician freshly cuffed and stuffed into a cell. As if cast in a shadowy spy film, Siwat was coerced to buddy up with these impostors using the Line chat app, leading to a pivotal video call where the crooks presented falsified documents to confiscate accounts and, astonishingly, hoodwinked him into sending his own money for a supposed ‘examination of the money trail.’
In an unexpected twist, Siwat was commanded to isolate himself from the outside world during these exchanges, heightening the drama further. Then, a femme fatale–esque DSI “official” joined the deception, pulling off rapid-fire calls in a dizzying seven-day whirlwind that saw Siwat transferring sums no less than 8.46 million baht across five accounts. The cherry on this crooked sundae was a journey to the picturesque Hat Yai district he embarked on, tasked with converting savings certificates into even more payouts for the beguilers, unknowingly trapped in the gang’s clutches throughout his trip.
His reality check came only after a conversation with his father, bursting the bubble and revealing the deception for what it was. Despite living abroad for nearly a decade, Siwat had not faced scams of this magnitude and cunning. On home soil for just a year, he thought he was savvy to trickery—until this level-up in scam tactics, complete with documents and an unsettling tug at familial safeguarding, crossed his path.
This bamboozling misadventure nearly stripped him of a further fortune. The gang, in their relentless pursuit, attempted to have him mortgage his condo—an abode worth a cool 7 million baht. Fortunately, the mortgage maneuver hit a snag, sparing him one last nails-in-the-coffin loss.
Left to rue, Siwat beseeched his banks to reclaim his misdirected fortunes, a request met with little success. Enter Ekkapop, the social media sentinel, rallying his digital cavalry by joining forces with cybercrime detectives to nab the fraudsters. With customary eloquence, Ekkapop fervently appealed to the powers that be, urging a resolute crackdown on scammers, a modern-day malaise that snags even the savviest of society.
Heart-stopping, nerve-wracking, yet oh-so-true, Siwat’s story reminds the world that, sometimes, reality reads better than fiction! A sensational odyssey through deceit and human frailty, it preaches vigilance in a world where digital tricksters lie in wait, as unassuming as shadows in the night.
I can’t believe someone as educated as Mr. Siwat could fall for such an obvious scam! It’s so disappointing.
Don’t be too quick to judge, Kongchai. Scammers these days can be extremely convincing, and they play on emotions and trust.
I understand that, but 8 million baht? He should have been more cautious!
Maybe it’s a lesson for all of us that scams can happen to anyone, regardless of education.
True, I suppose it’s more about being aware than being intelligent.
Ekkapop is really a hero in my eyes. Social activism at its finest!
I’m curious, why didn’t banks do anything to help Siwat out? This negligence needs to be addressed.
Banks have protocols, and they can’t always act as quickly as one might need.
Protocols are fine, but they should have better customer protection for these situations.
I admire Mr. Siwat’s bravery for coming forward with his story. Many victims choose silence.
Oh please, this happens all the time. People need to stop being so naive!
That’s harsh, Saraket. Empathy is important. No one wants to be scammed.
Ekkapop should run for office! We need leaders like him who act to protect citizens.
I agree, but sometimes the system doesn’t want people like him disrupting the status quo.
Our family felt helpless. It’s a nightmare we hope no one else has to live through.
I’m sorry to hear that. It’s good there are people like Ekkapop who care.
The use of technology in scams is getting out of control. When will authorities catch up with these criminals?
It seems like scams are getting more sophisticated by the day. How do we protect ourselves?
The government needs to invest more in digital security education for the public.
Agreed. We need stronger policies and education to combat these scammers.
I applaud Siwat for sharing his experience. There’s no better teacher than experience, even if it’s a tough lesson.
Can’t believe he almost mortgaged his condo. Scammers are merciless!
It’s insane. This story is wilder than a movie plot.
I think this story highlights how lonely and isolated victims of scams can be. More awareness is needed.
Absolutely. Sometimes all it takes is one more informed conversation to prevent such losses.
Indeed, Arya. If only more people spoke up when they suspect something’s wrong.
Scammers are evolving faster than the authorities. It’s like a game of cat and mouse!
We’re trying our best to keep up, but it’s a huge challenge with limited resources.
Stories like this make me want to delete all social apps. Too risky with these scams.
Ekkapop, keep doing the great work—exposing scams and scammers should be a national priority!