Sixteen Arrested for Defrauding Accident Insurance Companies

A man was arrested by police for allegedly stealing US$596,000 from an accident insurance company, at a house in Southern Thailand’s Pattani on Monday. The arrest was part of a series of raids in Pattani and Songkhla provinces, in which 16 people were detained on fraud charges.

Police have arrested 16 people in raids on 15 locations for filing alleged false personal accident claims totalling US$596,000, with insurers having already paid out US$417,000.

In the alleged scam, hospital treatment for deliberately inflicted wounds was claimed on multiple policies.

On Monday, the arrests were conducted in the southern provinces of Pattani and Songkhla, according to Pol. Lt.Gen. Jiraphob Bhuridej, the director of the Central Investigation Bureau.

The operation was conducted in response to complaints by insurance companies about a gang that hired people to act as accident victims.

In exchange for personal injury claims, the accomplices intentionally injured themselves. The accomplices were paid according to the severity of their injuries. For example, an accomplice would get US$89.00 per night if hospitalized.

Insurance companies paid large claims

The accomplices were required to open bank accounts and apply for ATM cards. Both the account books and the ATM cards were kept by the gang. Consequently, each accomplice took out from ten to sixteen insurance policies.

In the months that followed, the accomplices had intentional injuries, including burns on their legs as a result of splashes of boiling spicy soup. Thirteen insured people sought compensation for such injuries. Insurance paid out a large sum of money to the gang.

Pol Lt Gen Jiraphob said insurance companies have already paid out US$417,000 in false compensation insurance claims.

Police obtained search warrants from the Criminal Court for 15 locations to be searched and for 18 suspects to be arrested. This is according to Pol Col Phongpanot Chukaew, a superintendent of the Crime Suppression Division. The raids resulted in the arrests of sixteen suspects, and another suspect was arrested at a hospital while being treated for Covid-19.

It was alleged that the gang was led by three women, who were among the arrested. Two of the men arrested were responsible for injuring the gang’s willing insurance policyholders.