Luxury House in Thailand Allegedly Turned Into South Korea-Targeting Scam Office

Luxury House in Thailand Allegedly Turned Into South Korea-Targeting Scam Office

BANGKOK, Sept. 10, 2026 — Thai police have arrested 13 foreign nationals after raiding a luxury house in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan that investigators say had been converted into a call-centre operation targeting victims in South Korea.

The suspects comprise 12 South Korean nationals and one Chinese national. The arrests were announced on September 8 under a joint Thai-South Korean operation dubbed “Thailand-Korea Breaking Chains EP.3”, led by Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and its Technology Crime Suppression Division, in cooperation with the police consular section of the South Korean Embassy in Thailand.

Police said the group had rented the house and converted it into an office containing 13 workstations. Officers reportedly found computers, internet routers and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) equipment used to make internet-based calls.

Screens at the property were allegedly displaying scam scripts, lists of South Korean names and telephone numbers, and documents purportedly issued by South Korean prosecutors. Police also seized 51 VoIP and computer-related devices and 20 mobile phones, along with other documents and materials.

Alleged Impersonation of South Korean Officials

According to Thai investigators, the suspects allegedly used VoIP systems to contact people in South Korea while posing as prosecutors or other government officials.

Callers allegedly told potential victims that they were involved in criminal cases and used threats or intimidation to persuade them to transfer money.

Thai police said the investigation indicated that the group was part of a South Korean call-centre network that had entered Thailand after operating from another country. Investigators believe the suspects subsequently established the operation in Samut Prakan.

The investigation is being conducted as part of broader Thai efforts to combat transnational technology crime and cross-border call-centre networks.

Initial Charges and Further Investigation

All 13 suspects were initially prosecuted for allegedly working in Thailand without work permits.

They were taken to Bang Kaeo Police Station for legal proceedings, while Thai authorities continue examining the electronic evidence seized during the raid.

Police said the computers, mobile phones and other equipment would be subjected to forensic examination, with relevant evidence to be shared with South Korean authorities for further investigation and potential prosecution there.

At the initial stage, Thai authorities said they had found no evidence of Thai victims or Thai complainants connected to the suspected operation. The alleged targets were people in South Korea.

The operation also highlights the increasingly cross-border nature of call-centre fraud, with criminal groups able to establish operations in one country while targeting victims in another through internet-based communications.

Thai and South Korean authorities are expected to continue investigating the seized devices and identifying additional individuals who may be connected to the alleged network.