A man who posed as a police officer found himself in police custody last month in Xaythany district, Vientiane Capital, after engaging in a scam operation that promised unsuspecting victims jobs within the police department in exchange for money.
Reports from Lao Security News, released on Wednesday, detailed the arrest, which occurred following numerous complaints by residents to the Xaythany Police Department regarding a fraudulent individual masquerading as a police officer, swindling people out of significant sums by offering them purported police positions.
The perpetrator was identified as a 35-year-old Chankham Sonelavong, a resident of Viengthong district in Bolikhamxay Province.
In his confession, the 35-year-old revealed that he had been orchestrating this fraudulent scheme since 2019, duping countless individuals into handing over their hard-earned money.
According to the report, the total financial losses resulting from Chankham’s activities amounted to approximately THB 340,000 (equivalent to LAK 1.3 billion).
Chankham admitted to wearing a lieutenant colonel’s uniform and employing counterfeit documents to deceive his victims, promising them positions within the police department or any other job they desired.
The police department issued a notice urging residents to immediately report any suspicions of police officer impersonation in the future, ensuring swift action by law enforcement authorities.