Phuket police have made a second arrest in connection with a widening fraud case involving unsolicited shipments and a meaningful data breach. The operation, which began with a warehouse raid on November 18, 2024, centers on the alleged illegal acquisition and use of customer data from a private shipping company to send unordered goods across Thailand . The case highlights the increasing vulnerability of personal data and the growing sophistication of online fraud schemes, prompting a search for a company employee potentially involved in the leak.
Police in Phuket, Thailand, have arrested a second woman in connection with a scheme that involved fraudulently shipping goods to customers who did not order them, and allegedly obtaining customer data from a private shipping company. The case underscores the growing threat of online fraud and data privacy concerns.
The latest arrest, made November 18, 2024, involved 30-year-old Wanasanan Noonkam, who is accused of supporting the fraud and illegally possessing personal data. Phuket City Police reported that Noonkam allegedly provided customer information to 31-year-old Khanapa, a former online seller who recently transitioned to running the fraudulent shipping operation.
Authorities initially raided a warehouse on November 18, 2024, arresting Khanapa and seizing thousands of items, with a daily turnover of nearly 100,000 baht (approximately $2,800 USD). Khanapa reportedly told investigators she purchased customer lists for 1 baht (approximately $0.03 USD) per name from the unnamed private shipping company, as detailed in earlier reports. Police raided a warehouse and arrested a woman accused of fraudulently shipping packages.
According to a report from Phuket City Police Chief Pol. Col. Chatree Chuakaew, the investigation expanded after the initial arrest, leading to Noonkam’s apprehension. She is charged with supporting fraud and violating data privacy laws related to the collection, possession, and disclosure of personal information for criminal purposes.
Police say Noonkam allegedly supplied the customer data used to address the packages sent throughout Thailand, even though the recipients had not placed any orders.
Noonkam confessed to the charges, police said, and is currently being questioned further. Investigators are working to determine if others were involved in the scheme.
A preliminary examination of a laptop seized during the raid revealed a database containing the personal information of potentially hundreds of thousands of customers. Police are now seeking an arrest warrant for an additional suspect – an employee of the private shipping company, according to reports.
