Two Taiwanese arrested for alleged bank scam

Wang Chen Chieh, 37, and Juan Tai Cheng, 34, were arrested at a Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) ATM in Pattaya on Thursday, Central Investigation Bureau commissioner Pol LtGeneral Thangai Prassachaksattru said at a press conference at the bureau's head office yesterday.

Police were alerted by the SCB that the foreigners had been suspiciously using many ATM cards issued by a Chinese bank to withdraw money from SCB ATMs since last month.

Police found 45 ATM cards on the two Taiwanese, and another 132 cards when they searched their room at the Honey Inn in Pattaya. The cards were issued by China Union Pay Bank.

Police said the two had hired friends in China to open accounts and mail them the ATM cards. They then opened a call centre and lured Chinese to transfer the money to the accounts, before using the cards to withdraw the money in Pattaya.