Man arrested for commando police badge scam

Man arrested for commando police badge scam

Natchathorn Dechakunaporn, centre, was arrested by Special Operations Division police at his home in Samut Sakhon province on Tuesday. (Photo supplied)
Natchathorn Dechakunaporn, centre, was arrested by Special Operations Division police at his home in Samut Sakhon province on Tuesday. (Photo supplied)

A man has been arrested by police for using Facebook to dupe people into paying him 7,000 baht each for a badge and a certificate from the Special Operations Division police under the Central Investigation Bureau.

Pol Lt Gen Torsak Sukwimol, the CIB commissioner, said Natchathorn Dechakunaporn, 35, was arrested in Krathum Baen district, Samut Sakhon province, on Tuesday under a court warrant.

Mr Natchathorn had been accused of posting on Facebook under the names of "Thai Development Institute" and "Sayamkunakorn Company", claiming he could manage to obtain a "Sayop Ripu Sathan" badge and a certificate of honour issued by the Special Operations Division for anyone who was interested. Each of the items cost 7,000 baht and would be delivered by postal mail, he claimed.

The badge and the certificate are usually awarded to police officers who pass a special training course for commando police.

In the raid on his house in Samut Sakhon, the police seized a notebook computer, a desktop computer, three mobile phones, police and military badges of various types, memorial pins and some documents.

Pol Lt Gen Torsak said many people became victims of the scam. Apart from the 7,000 baht, they also sent Mr Natchathorn copies of their identification cards and other documents. After failing to receive the items, some then filed complaints against Mr Natchathorn with Muang Ratchaburi police.

Mr Natchathorn allegedly confessed to have made about 500,000 baht from the scam during the past 12 months.

He was handed over to Ratchaburi police and charged with cheating the public and violating the Computer Crime Act.

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