http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2012/11/21/female-facebook-peddler-sold-fake-concert-tickets/

Published : November 21, 2012 :: 1542
Female Facebook Peddler Sold Fake Concert Tickets


A 21-year-old female got arrested for peddling phony concert tickets through a FanPage on Facebook. The police began investigating after more than 20 victims complained. The woman had been running her scam for three years. She used the money to help pay living expenses and buy crystal meth.


BANGKOK – November 20, 2012 [PDN]; the arrest of a woman for selling fake concert tickets was announced by Pol. Maj. Gen. Roy Inkpairoj, commander of tourist police, in a press conference at the Squad 1 tourist department.

The suspect was identified Ms. Chutima Ruangtip, or Yoo, 21 years old. She was arrested at the parking lot of Tesco Lotus in Ladpraw, Bangkapi, Bangkok.

Police also seized a small bag of what appeared to be crystal meth from the suspect. Ms. Chutima was initially charged with fraud, according to the arrest warrant of Thonburi district court, dated November 20, 2012.

The arrest was the result of a police investigation, after more than 20 victims came to the tourist police station to ask police to find Ms. Chutima. They complained she had sold them fake concert tickets through a FanPage in Facebook.

They said she had been operating the online sites for more than 3 years, and there had been many victims. So the tourist police arrest team began their investigation, led by detective inspector Pol. Lt. Col. Jakkrit Seribut.



They discovered that Ms. Chutima had been previously been served a warrant to appear on a charge of defrauding. But she had not come to see the police at Bukkalo police station.

So the detective team co-ordinated with the local police to issue another warrant. The police discovered that Ms. Chutima had gone to contract a rental car from a private company in theTesco Lotus in Bangkapi. So they went with the warrant to arrest her there.

After her arrest, Ms. Chutima confessed in front of 20 victims that she had deceived them to buy fake tickets, for both Thai and foreign artists. She further admitted she had deceived many victims in the past three years, by using her name, phone numbers, and bank account information. She did not want to use other people’s names, because she was afraid of the damage. So after she got the money transferred to her accounts, she would delete the PIN on her Black Berry and escape. Because if she got arrested, she could have been identified.

Ms. Chutima used the stolen money for her daily life and to buy crystal meth, because her regular monthly income was not enough. However, two years ago, she had been arrested in Ladpraw on similar defrauding charges. But at the time, she repaid the victims quickly enough to avoid being prosecuted.

However, this time Ms. Chutima wanted to apologize to all her current victims, and insisted that she will not do it again.