BANGKOK, THAILAND – So‑called mule bank accounts became a core tool of professional scam networks in Thailand, prompting police and banks to describe them as a serious societal threat and key infrastructure of organized online fraud.
New generation of corporate scam accounts
According to a source at the Anti Online Scam Operation Center (AOC), three types of mule accounts were currently considered most critical: corporate mule accounts, fake mule accounts and spy mule accounts. The most dangerous development was said to be Corporate Mule Accounts, company bank accounts opened or acquired specifically for fraudulent purposes and increasingly detected over the past year. In this model, criminals set up or buy officially registered firms or partnerships solely to open a business account, using the corporate shell to appear legitimate while channelling fraud proceeds and laundering money.
Victims turned into unwilling money couriers
The second high‑risk category, “Fake Mule Accounts”, consisted of accounts held by scam victims who had lost all their money or could no longer service their debts. According to the AOC, these people were manipulated through deception, psychological pressure or threats to accept and pass on funds from other fraud cases, often without realising they had become the first link in a money‑laundering chain. They effectively acted as the front line of mule accounts while believing they were solving their own financial problems.
Undercover ‘spy’ accounts under police control
The third type, “Spy Mule Accounts”, had largely been kept secret since mid‑last year. The AOC source said undercover police officers opened accounts at commercial banks and offered them for sale on online black markets. Once criminal groups used the accounts, investigators tracked entire fraud and laundering networks back to their command centres, with the accounts staying under full police control and already leading to numerous arrests.
Five-colour risk system for mule accounts
The Bank of Thailand classified mule accounts under a five‑level risk scheme known as “Five‑Colour Horses”. Black Mules carried the highest risk, backed by money‑laundering evidence confirmed by the Anti‑Money Laundering Office (Amlo), while Dark Grey Mules were reported cases in which banks could freeze funds without a court order. Light Grey Mules were conspicuous accounts monitored until complaints were filed, Dark Brown Mules showed suspicious transfer patterns, and Light Brown Mules indicated early signs of fraud subject to close surveillance across the national financial system.
Nearly 2,000 cases and stiff penalties
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, deputy national police chief and head of the AOC, told the Bangkok Post that police handled 1,964 cases and arrested 1,870 suspects linked to mule accounts between 27 October last year and 21 January. Selling or renting out a bank account was punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine of 300,000 baht, or both, he said. Recruiting people for mule accounts or advertising them carried two to five years in prison and fines ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 baht.
‘Detect–Freeze–Expand’ strategy with banks
Jirabhop said the Royal Thai Police (RTP) worked closely with the Bank of Thailand, the Thai Bankers’ Association, commercial banks and state agencies under a core “Detect–Freeze–Expand” strategy. The first pillar was real‑time monitoring, in which police and banks shared risk data via a central Central Fraud Registry that triggered instant alerts over suspicious moves such as immediate cash withdrawals after deposits in high‑risk areas. In the second step, data analytics and artificial intelligence were used to detect mule patterns early and prevent financial losses.
War room to halt suspicious transfers
The third element was a cross‑agency “war room” coordinating with local police stations and bank branches. If suspicious activity appeared, transfers or cash withdrawals were to be stopped immediately, a method that had already secured large sums for victims, according to Jirabhop.
“We are talking with the Bank of Thailand and commercial banks about targeted fraud rules or selective hurdles for high‑risk accounts, such as transfer delays or stricter checks before large transactions,”
said Jirabhop, deputy national police chief.
Singapore-inspired measures and real-time dilemma
Jirabhop said Thailand was looking closely at Singapore’s model to disrupt mule networks, including potential transfer delays on high‑risk transactions and a “kill switch” allowing citizens to immediately freeze their own accounts in an emergency. However, he noted that the domestic payments infrastructure relied heavily on real‑time transactions, a central pillar of the digital economy. Any adjustments would need to avoid placing disproportionate burdens on businesses and everyday users.
Fewer new mule accounts after tighter checks
According to Jirabhop, new mule account openings declined in the last quarter of the previous year thanks to stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) checks. Lists of offenders and associated accounts were being sent to Amlo for classification as high‑risk Black Mules, triggering immediate nationwide restrictions. Corporate Mule Accounts, often tied to shell companies, remained one of the biggest challenges.
“Our goal is not only to close accounts after the crime, but to break the incentive cycle permanently,”
said Jirabhop, head of the AOC.
Scam call centres split fraud and laundering
The AOC said it had analysed the structure of call‑centre gangs in detail and found a clear division of labour designed to complicate investigations. The first group, the “Deception Group”, was responsible for psychological manipulation and persuading victims to transfer money, often operating from Cambodia under Chinese controllers and functioning like a call‑centre office with prepared scripts and systematic training. Staff were trained in phone and chat communication before contacting victims and coordinating with the finance unit once a transfer was expected.
Money laundering unit paid by commission
The second group was the money‑laundering unit.
“Their core task is to receive funds, move them and pull them out of the system as quickly as possible,”
said Jirabhop, referring to the laundering teams.
Members earned commissions of 10 to 20 percent but first had to lodge security deposits of 3 to 5 million baht to gain the trust of the masterminds.