Villagers in Nakhon Phanom province flocked to close their suspected mule accounts after a new law on cybercrime took effect last Friday.
After the Royal Decree on Cyber Crime Prevention and Suppression took effect on March 17, people who open a bank account or register a SIM card for a third party for illegal use face a maximum of three years in jail and/or a fine of up to 300,000 baht.
The new law allows banks to suspend accounts suspected of being involved in illicit transactions for investigation.
Villagers notified the police about their suspected mule accounts and contacted the banks to close them to prevent being punished for opening mule accounts, which could be used by online scammers.
Earlier, villagers fell victims to a money mule ring. They were deceived to give their ID card copies to apply for membership of political parties or to receive the government’s welfare.
They were paid 400-500 baht each and some villagers were later found to be mule account owners. (TNA)
