Online scam claims life of 19-year-old Thailand student, prompting urgent police investigation

THAILAND: In a tragic incident that unfolded in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Atiya (19), a grade 12 student, was found hanged in her home on Sunday evening (15 Oct).

This heart-wrenching turn of events followed her falling prey to a heartless online scam.

The fraudsters duped Atiya into parting with 20,000 baht (US$550) in exchange for an iPhone 13 that, in reality, never existed.

Her interaction with a supposed mobile phone shop named Hannah on Facebook, later confirmed by the police to be non-existent, revealed a grim deception.

The fictitious shop even provided a counterfeit address in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai.

The scammers, ruthlessly preying on Atiya, convinced her to make an initial payment, leading to four transactions totalling 18,500 baht (US$509) transferred to a bank account under the name Dokkaew Kaewjerm.

Despite her efforts to contact the seller and request a refund, the fraudsters heartlessly demanded an additional 2,000 baht (US$55) as a guarantee for the non-existent phone, a demand she sadly complied with.

With no response after the final transfer, Atiya painfully realized she had fallen victim to a scam, a revelation that profoundly affected her, especially given that she had borrowed money from her friends.

Reported by Bangkok Post, In her final message to a friend at approximately 3:15 pm on Sunday (15 Oct), Atiya expressed her distress and fear of her mother’s reaction.

Alarmed by her sudden silence, her concerned friend reached out to Atiya’s family, who were devastated to find her lifeless in her bedroom after forcibly opening the locked door.

The police initiated an investigation, confirming the fraudulent nature of the phone shop.

They were collaborating with cybercrime units to trace the scammers, beginning with the owner of the bank account, Dokkaew.

Atiya’s mother, Ms. Boonyuen, overwhelmed by the loss of her daughter, expressed profound regret that had Atiya only confided in her about her intention to purchase the smartphone through installment plans, this heartbreaking tragedy might have been averted, as reported by sanook.

She emphasized that she would have never criticized Atiya for her choices, as her love for her daughter was immeasurable.

In the face of this devastating loss, Ms Boonyuen passionately implored the police to expeditiously apprehend the culprits responsible for her daughter’s suffering, hoping that such malevolent criminals would be prevented from inflicting similar anguish on other individuals.

The deceased’s heartfelt apologies to her mother

On Tuesday (17 Oct) a Facebook user named Mr Paitoon (translated) shared distressing news on his account.

He disclosed a suicide note written by the deceased in which she expressed her heartfelt wishes.

In the poignant letter, she pleaded with her mother to repay the money she borrowed from her friends.

Simultaneously, the deceased extended her heartfelt apologies to her mother for her actions.

In the note, she lamented her own perceived inadequacies, saying, “I’m sorry, I’m stupid. I wanted to pay off the phone in installments but didn’t take a closer look.”

She implored her mother to assist her in returning the money to her friend, who had lent it to her. Her apology was sincere and filled with love, as she continued, “Please help me too. My friend gave it to me to borrow. I’m really sorry. I love you, Mom.”

The evidence of these transactions was available in their chat history. The letter concluded with a poignant reflection on her actions, with the words, “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t think too short, Mom. I thought about it.”

Calls for authorities to beef up enforcement against scam syndicates

In the comments section, many netizens have expressed their condolences to the grieving family of the deceased.

Alongside these messages of sympathy, some are fervently hoping that law enforcement agencies and related organizations will exert greater efforts and expedite their actions, given the growing number of individuals falling victim to scams.

They are urging the police to diligently pursue the perpetrators and ensure they are held accountable for the tragedy that befell the deceased.

Additionally, there are suggestions from some netizens that the family might consider taking their case to the Ministry of Justice, as it is known for its swifter response to such matters.

While a few netizens express regret that the deceased did not seek alternative solutions to her problems, acknowledging that people make mistakes, others point out that the content of her farewell letter indicates she had thought carefully about her decision.

This sombre news was also shared on the Facebook page of the deceased’s school, Pakphanang School (15 Oct), which extended its heartfelt condolences for the tragic incident that had occurred.

The post garnered a multitude of condolences from numerous individuals who expressed their sympathies in the comments section.