1,200 Chinese tourists' UnionPay cards skimmed at Bangkok & Chiang Mai shops, stealing B30m. Hidden cameras/keyboards, 32% discount ruse. Arrests July 22.
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A Chinese shop owner and three Thai nationals have been arrested in Thailand over an alleged international credit-card skimming operation that caused losses estimated at around 30 million baht.
Thai police said the group allegedly stole payment information from approximately 1,200 Chinese tourists who used UnionPay credit cards at souvenir and dried-fruit shops in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. The stolen information was reportedly used to produce counterfeit cards overseas.
Four Suspects Arrested
The arrests were announced by Pol Maj Gen Puthipong Musikul, deputy commissioner of Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau.
The suspects included a 42-year-old Chinese man identified as Chao Ji and three Thai nationals: Salinee, 33; Jittra, 32; and Theeraphat, 32.
Authorities began investigating after the Chinese embassy requested action against the group suspected of misusing the credit-card information of Chinese visitors to Thailand.
Police believe the suspects were part of a wider criminal network operating across Thailand, China and the United States. The investigation was conducted under an operation known as CIB Operation Card Shield.
Tourists Targeted at Souvenir Shops
Investigators found that all the victims had used UnionPay cards at three shops selling dried fruit and souvenirs.
The businesses were identified as:
CM Yummy Fruit Dried Shop in Chiang Mai
Fruit Dried Shop in Suthep, Chiang Mai
Yaowarat Fruit Dry Shop on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok
Police said the shops were registered under the names of the four suspects.
The customers reportedly believed they were making ordinary purchases while visiting Thailand. However, the shops had allegedly been equipped with hidden devices designed to copy information stored on their cards.
Cards Processed Twice
According to investigators, employees were instructed to process each customer’s card twice.
The card was first passed through a computer keyboard containing a concealed skimming device. It was then processed normally through an electronic data capture terminal to complete the payment.
When customers questioned why their cards needed to be processed more than once, staff allegedly told them that the second transaction was required for a 32% discount.
Police believe this explanation was used to prevent customers from becoming suspicious while their card information was being copied.
Cameras Allegedly Recorded PIN Codes
The operation did not rely only on card-skimming equipment.
Numerous surveillance cameras had reportedly been positioned inside the shops to record customers as they entered their personal identification numbers.
Investigators said the stolen card information and recorded PIN codes were then sent through the LINE messaging application to other members of the network in the United States.
Counterfeit cards were allegedly produced using the stolen information. The fake cards were later used to withdraw cash and purchase expensive products.
The total amount stolen was estimated at approximately 6 million yuan, equivalent to around 30 million baht.
Skimming Equipment Seized
On July 22, officers searched the three shops and three residences linked to the suspects.
During the raids, police reportedly seized:
11 computer keyboards fitted with card-skimming devices
Three electronic payment terminals
Five computers
18 surveillance cameras
The four suspects were arrested following the searches.
Police said the large number of cameras and modified keyboards showed that the operation had been carefully organised to collect both card details and customer PIN codes.
Suspect Reportedly Confesses
According to Pol Col Krit Worathat, head of Economic Crime Suppression Division 5, the Chinese suspect admitted his involvement in the scheme.
He allegedly told investigators that the modified computer keyboards had been purchased from China.
The stolen information was then used to manufacture counterfeit cards in the United States. Money generated through cash withdrawals and purchases of luxury goods was reportedly divided among members of the network.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the operation and identify other people who may have participated in the international fraud scheme.
Warning for International Travellers
The case highlights the risks travellers face when using payment cards at unfamiliar businesses.
Customers should remain cautious when a merchant asks to process a card more than once, particularly when staff provide an unusual explanation involving discounts or payment errors.
Cardholders should regularly review their transactions, cover the keypad when entering a PIN and immediately contact their bank if they notice suspicious activity.
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