Last Update:29 October 2024 18:53 IST

Thai Immigration Police reportedly detained Xie on October 7 when he left his home to pick up a food order.

To avoid arrest, Xie reportedly underwent plastic surgery. (Representative Picture)

A Chinese woman, known only by her surname Xie, was arrested in Thailand for allegedly defrauding individuals of over 1.5 million yuan (approximately Rs 1.77 crore). The woman, who had reportedly been on the run for more than two years, promised victims lucrative airline jobs in exchange for large sums of money. Authorities said Xie’s fraudulent activities began around 2014, with his most active period occurring between 2016 and 2019, during which he deceived at least six people by claiming to have connections with major airlines.

According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), 30-year-old Xie tricked people by posing as a wealthy flight attendant and sharing photos from various countries to convince his victims. Among those he targeted was his own cousin, who lent him 52,000 yuan (about Rs 6.13 lakh) on the claim that the money would help a friend buy a watch in Japan. Xie promised to repay his cousin but never did, causing his relative to suffer serious financial loss.

To avoid arrest, Xie reportedly underwent plastic surgery and changed her appearance. The SCMP report said he used some of the money he earned from his fraudulent activities to fund these surgeries.

Local residents in Bangkok became suspicious of him when they noticed him frequently covering his face and wearing a mask, leading them to suspect he might be an illegal immigrant. This prompted them to report it to Thai authorities.

Thai Immigration Police reportedly detained Xie on October 7 when he left his home to pick up a food order. He was unable to produce real identification during questioning and was detained for overstaying his tourist visa by more than 650 days after entering Thailand on a visa in late 2022. Authorities also discovered he was on Interpol’s Blue Notice list. , is wanted internationally after Chinese police began pursuing him for fraud-related crimes.

Following his arrest, Thai authorities said Xie would face penalties for visa violations before being deported back to China, where he would be held accountable by law enforcement for his elaborate fraud scheme.