Elderly Yasothon Couple Loses 2.4 Million Baht in Sophisticated Phone Scam

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In what can only be described as a distressing tale of trust betrayed and manipulation at its most cunning, an elderly pair in Yasothon found themselves stripped of their life savings, falling prey to a sophisticated phone scam that duped them out of a staggering 2.4 million baht. This unfortunate saga began in late January when Nanta, a 68-year-old resident of Yasothon, received an ominous call from someone posing as a Krungthai Bank representative. The voice on the other end ominously claimed that her name had surfaced in a criminal investigation—the opening of a bank account for unlawful activities. It was seemingly a matter of urgency, demanding that she report immediately to the Mueang Ubon Ratchathani Police Station.

Given the hurdles of transportation, visiting the station was out of the question for Nanta. In an ill-fated twist of trust, she accepted the caller’s offer of a direct line to law enforcement, an action that set the stage for an elaborate ruse to unfold. When she dialed the provided contact number, a man impersonating a police officer answered, seamlessly transferring her to another scam artist masquerading as a superintendent. During their interaction, the supposed officer, clad in a convincing police uniform during a video call, wove a web of deception that ensnared Nanta fearfully in its threads.

The scammer spun a chilling tale: her account was part of a 14 million baht money-laundering operation, allegedly sold to a nefarious call center gang for a modest sum of 50,000 baht. Panic-stricken, Nanta was unable to resist the sinister puppeteer who manipulated her strings. The trap was ingeniously baited with fear—threats that her assets would be seized and her children’s government careers jeopardized.

In a bid to avoid scandalous fallout and on the scammer’s convincing directives, she felt compelled to present her assets. Initially, she displayed her cash savings of 90,000 baht and gold jewelry weighing 9 baht over video, as demanded by her unseen captor. The foe turned confidant then coerced her into selling the jewelry and transferring all cash into a phantom bank account. Under constant surveillance via video call, Nanta made multiple substantial transfers, each exceeding 400,000 baht. As her resources dwindled, her captor’s grip did not relent—insisting on secrecy, even barring her from confiding in her own children.

By February 21, financially drained and emotionally exhausted, Nanta faced the harrowing prospect of utter destitution. In a misguided attempt at salvation, she borrowed 100,000 baht from a neighbor for a final, desperate transfer. Meanwhile, the scam’s sadistic architects requested her son’s phone number. The call they made to him was laced with cruel mockery, a taunting revelation, “Go check on your mother, she’s about to go into shock after being deceived out of everything.” They twisted the knife further, insulting him for his perceived neglect and daringly sharing images of Nanta’s cash and gold.

Only when her son returned home and pieced together the shards of the nightmare did the full weight of their loss become apparent. Together, Nanta and her companion, 75-year-old Sanchai, faced the harsh reality of their deception. As reported by KhaoSod, the staggering loss of 2.4 million baht through a labyrinth of shifting accounts pushed Nanta and Sanchai to appeal publicly, urging the police to expedite their efforts to recover the stolen funds.

In a story riddled with villainy and vulnerability, it casts a harsh light on the predatory tactics of scammers and the importance of vigilance, particularly among the most trusting members of society. It reminds us all of the fragility of trust and the dire consequences when it is misplaced, yet also highlights the resilience of those determined to reclaim their peace of mind, one step at a time.