Skimmers of fake e-cards nabbed in Bangkok

BANGKOK, March 30 (TNA) - Thai police have arrested a gang of Chinese skimmers and seized hundreds of fake electronic cards (e-cards) during a raid at a mansion in Bangkok's Klong Toey area. Police Major General Surachet Hakpan, Deputy Tourism Police Chief, and a team of Thai police from the 191 patrol and special operations unit announced the arrest at a press conference in Bangkok on Friday. The Thai police said that the four Chinese skimmers, led by a man identified as Bai Xiangnan, were nabbed red-handed as more than 550 fake and blank e-cards were found at their place in the city's Klong Toey area during the operation earlier in the day. According to the Thai police, devices they used to produce the fake e-cards, namely ATM and credit cards, were also found and seized, including e-scanning, e-reading, e-recording machines, as well as printers, computer notebooks and smart phones. Besides, Thai and foreign banknotes with a total value of at least 107,000 baht were found and seized at their luxurious mansion. "All the four Chinese men confessed to have copied personal data of e-card holders in Thailand, including both Thais and foreigners, in the cards they reproduced and used the fake cards to either withdraw cashes from ATM booths or purchase expensive goods", the police stated. "All the four Chinese skimmers will be prosecuted on charges of working as a team to produce fake e-cards, possessing the devices for producing the fake e-cards and resorting to the fake e-cards for consumption purpsoses", added the Thai police. (TNA)