AYUTTHAYA: Fifty people in Bang Ban district told police a man tricked them into opening bank accounts for him, claiming foreigners would put 1 million baht in each of them as a donation to the poor.
Among the complainants from tambon Wat Yom, 65-year-old Somjai Yaikhao told Bang Ban police that a man calling himself "Tu" claimed to be a liaison official for Wat Nok Krajab in Bang Ban district. He invited villagers to open new accounts at private commercial banks.
He told people that there were foreign funds available for grassroots people, and each bank account would receive 1 million baht.
After opening new accounts, the villagers had to give him copies of their personal documents and account numbers. Those who were too busy could hire him for 2,500 baht to open the new accounts on their behalf.
But after 10 months of waiting in vain for the money to be transferred into their new accounts, they realised they may have been tricked and feared the accounts could be abused for money laundering or for phone call scams, Mrs Somjai said.
Aftr receiving their complaints, Pol Col Kantapong Nilkham, chief of the Bang Ban police station, advised them to quickly freeze the accounts. He said police would look for Mr Tu, who could face fraud charges.
