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RBP reports rise in various online and phone scam cases
The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) is dealing with a surge in fraudulent activities that are preying on innocent individuals. From promises of lottery wins to alluring investment schemes, the misuse of mobile numbers for scamming purposes and the spread of fraudulent crypto transactions.
On 12 March 2024 RBP registered a scam case involving a 26-year-old man who had recently returned to Bhutan after completing his studies in Singapore.
Initially, after his return he asked help from a friend to search for the youth interested to work in Singapore. The suspect created a WhatsApp group on September 2023 promising jobs in Singapore to all the 38 Bhutanese youth members.
Members of the group were not informed about any fees or payments required. However, a Singaporean individual was later introduced to the group, so as to lend credibility. The Singaporean did not give any voice communication, and replied only over text messages.
As the recruitment process progressed, members started filling forms, with the final stage requiring a payment of Nu 92,000 which the suspect told the members would be flight and accommodation charges.
Of the 40 members in the group, including the suspect, his friend, one Singaporean, and 37 members, the 37 made the payment, while the suspect’s friend was exempted from paying the fee, though he misled the other members saying he paid.
The suspect, who had spent eight months in Singapore, claimed to have discussed business opportunities with a Singaporean individual running a company. Despite assurances from the suspect about the validity of the opportunity, members had not personally met the Singaporean.
Payments were initially made to the suspect’s account before he transferred to Bhutanese account holders in Australia for conversion into Singaporean currency and subsequent transfer to accounts in Singapore.
The suspect and his friend are currently in police custody for further investigation.
RBP disclosed that while the status of the funds transferred by the suspect to Bhutanese individuals abroad remains unconfirmed, their accounts have been frozen by court order.
The total amount involved in the scam amounts to nearly Nu 3.5 million (mn) contributed by the 37 members who fell victim to the fraudulent scheme.
RBP shared another prevalent scam reported involve lottery winnings, where scammers contact individuals via calls or social media, falsely claiming that they have won a lottery without even purchasing tickets.
RBP emphasized the importance of caution, stating, “Without registering for any lottery, how can one expect to win it?”
RBP said that the victims,often without proper verification, end up revealing sensitive information, such as bank account details, enabling scammers to exploit this data. Subsequently, scammers request OTP sharing under the pretext of processing the supposed winnings, gaining access to victims bank accounts and draw off funds.
In addition to lottery scams, fraudsters also employ investment schemes, alluring victims with promises of doubling their money post-investment. By utilizing Bhutanese bank accounts to create an illusion of legitimacy, scammers deceive individuals.
Moreover, scammers are taking advantage of the growing popularity of cryptocurrency investments, persuading individuals to invest significant sums in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
RBP has recently identified two Bhutanese phone numbers, associated with TashiCell and B-mobile, linked to WhatsApp accounts impersonating telecom officials.
Scammers use these numbers to lure victims by falsely claiming they have won rewards, coercing them to share bank account information and OTPs, resulting in financial losses.
On 1 March 2024, the Samdrupjongkhar PS, registered a scam which involved a Bhutanese resident in Australia falling victim to a scam on Facebook Messenger. The individual allegedly selling Australian dollars vanished after receiving a transfer of Nu 116,000, leaving the victim stranded.
The investigation revealed that the Facebook account holder was unaware of the fraudulent activity, attributing it to a hacked Facebook account. The bank account holder who received the amount thought that maybe his investors might have made the transaction since he is alleged to be doing a Bitcoin business in Bangkok, and was traced there when the police investigated. His T-bank account is frozen.
RBP revealed that the hacker is suspected to be operating from across the border and to access the scammed money, he is trying to get in contact with the account holder to transfer the money as Bitcoins.
As of 14 March 2024, there have been 13 registered scam cases, with 15 reported in 2023, involving a total sum exceeding Nu 10 mn.
RBP said that the recovery of scammed funds is not guaranteed, as scammers operate with cunning tactics.
