Bangkok —
On January 9th, 2025, Thailand’s Cyber Crime Suppression Division raided a rental room in Bueng Kum, Bangkok, uncovering a sophisticated SMS scam operation involving a False Base Station device.
Bangkok authorities arrested two Chinese nationals, Mr. Li Chuyuan, 49, and Mr. Zhu Xiangwu, 47, along with equipment, including the False Base Station, 11 mobile phones, over 30 SIM cards, and multiple bank account books and ATM cards.
The suspects allegedly sent fake SMS messages with malicious links to siphon money, targeting crowded areas such as Icon Siam, Asiatique, and CentralWorld.
Their mobile operation vehicle transmitted signals over a 1-3 kilometers radius, disrupting local mobile networks and affecting over 30,000 phone numbers. The scam created openings for call center fraudsters to lure victims into clicking fraudulent links.
Thai investigators, working with AIS engineers, tracked the suspects to their hideout. The two men, who entered Thailand in mid-December claiming to be tour guides, denied involvement, citing borrowed vehicles.
However, evidence tied them to SMS scam activities in the past four days. Police are now pursuing a third Chinese accomplice who has been renting the same residence for nearly a year.
