Furby doll internet scam

16-year old named Ployy Smile hired over internet by doll owner, sells 4 million baht of the popular dolls but doll owner disappears. Criminal investigation begins.

A much sought-after furry Furby doll (Source: Wikipedia)

Click button to listen to Furby Doll Scam download

Internet Scam

Police investigate online Furby scam

7 Feb 2013
Online Reporters

Thai celebrities show off their Furby dolls (Source: Facebook)

Furby doll buyers file a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division seeking an investigation into suspected fraud involving purchases of the cute robotic toy totalling over four million baht.

About 40 people, led by university student Manaswin Maliwong, 21, complained to the police on Thursday that they were cheated by a person selling Furby dolls online.

They all ordered the doll from Instagram user Ployy Smile, who claimed that she could supply the sought-after doll in large quantities.

After running a background check and being confident that Ployy Smile was a real trader who used to sell Japanese snacks before, Mr Manaswin said he ordered 40 dolls at 2,800 baht each, for a total of 112,000 baht.

He said Ployy Smile had also posted a picture of herself with a famous movie star and claimed that she would get the dolls from this person.

Mr Manaswin said he transferred the money to the account number given by Ployy Smile on Feb 2, with delivery set for Feb 6. But Ployy Smile postponed the delivery, and he began to suspect he had been cheated.

He said a check on social networks showed there were other people in the same situation, so they gathered together to bring charges against Ployy Smile.

He had also learned that Ployy Smile was a 16-year-old girl who had earlier been questioned at Huay Khwang police station, because other buyers also reported their suspicions to police. He said he found out that some buyers had placed large orders and lost more than one million baht.

The police officer at Huay Khwang told Mr Manaswin that the case would be transferred to the Crime Suppression Division.

The police said an initial investigation revealed that Ployy Smile is a 16-year-old girl so formal questioning had to be done later in presence of juvenile justice officials. Financial evidence showed that several million baht had been transferred by Ployy Smile to Chonnikant Taichilasasoontorn, who might be involved in the case.

Ployy Smile told reporters that she met Ms Chonnikant three weeks ago through a website, and later she was asked to help post the Furby ad through Instagram for 2,990 baht. Ms Chonnikant had explained that she did not want to post the ad herself to avoid a tax problem.

In just a short period there were 44 buyers wanting to buy dolls worth a total of 4.2 million baht. The money had transferred to two accounts, Chonnikant Taichilasasoontorn at a bank in Samut Sakhon and Kanchana Jabang at a bank in Ubon Ratchathani.

The girl said she had no knowledge about details of the deliveries but was informed by Ms Chonnikant that the products were being delivered to buyers. Later she was told that there was some tyre problem, so the dolls could not be delivered on time.

Ployy Smile said she was pressured by buyers to deliver the dolls or refund the money so she told Ms Chonnikant to act immediately. But later she could not reach Ms Chonnikant. When she knew about the police report, she rushed to the police station to provide information, the 16-year-old said.

The Furby is a very popular, cute, furry toy resembling a squat hamster with owl-like eyes that can sing and dance and interact with its owners. They even have their own language.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Local News, Police investigate online Furby scam, 7 Feb 2013, Online Reporters, link) 


Internet Scams

Furby - a furry doll that looks like a hamster or owl; "went through a period of being a "must-have" toy following its launch in the holiday season of 1998, with continual sales until 2000. Over 40 million Furbies were sold during the three years of its original production, with 1.8 million sold in 1998, and 14 million in 1999. Its speaking capabilities were translated into 24 languages. Furbies were the first successful attempt to produce and sell a domestically-aimed robot. A newly purchased Furby starts out speaking entirely Furbish, the unique language that all Furbies use, but is programmed to start using English words and phrases in place of Furbish over time. This process is intended to resemble the process of learning English. In 2005, new Furbies were released, with voice-recognition and more complex facial movements, and many other changes and improvements. The Emoto-Tronic Furbies (Furby, Furby Baby, and Funky Furby) continued to be sold until late 2007, when these toys became extremely rare. An updated Furby is being sold as of September 2012 for the holiday season" (See Wikipedia)

scam - a dishonest plan, especially for getting money; an illegal trick with the purpose of getting money from people กลโกง, แผนร้าย (See Wikipedia)
online - connected to the internet
online scam

fraud - the crime of gaining money by lying, tricking, deceiving and cheating การปลอมแปลง  การฉ้อโกง การหลอกลวง เล่ห์เพทุบาย (See Wikipedia)

investigation - the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something การสอบสวน การตรวจสอบหาข้อเท็จจริง
investigate (verb)
Police investigate online Furby scam

file - to take official action like making a complaint ยื่นคำร้อง
complaint - when someone says that something is wrong or not satisfactory การร้องเรียน
file complaint  

suspected - thought to be something เป็นที่สงสัย people believe that they might have done something wrong, but not yet proven
suspected fraud

Furby doll buyers file a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division seeking an investigation into suspected fraud involving purchases of the cute robotic toy worth over four million baht.

cheat - to do something like lie or break the rules to gain something (such as money or a higher grade in a test) โกง, ทุจริต
people complained to the police that they were cheated by a person selling Furby dolls online

sought-after - something that many people are looking for, searching for and trying to buy
They all ordered the doll from Instagram user Ployy Smile, who claimed that she could supply the sought-after doll in large quantities.

background - personal history and experience
running a background check - when pay for someone to give you a person's background and personal history (before you hire them, for example)

confident - being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people, plans, or the future มั่นใจ
trader - a person who buys and sells things as a business

After running a background check and being confident that Ployy Smile was a real trader who used to sell Japanese snacks before, Mr Manaswin said he ordered 40 dolls at 2,800 baht each, or 112,000 baht.

transfer money - move money from one bank account to another bank account (to pay for sometbing, for example)
account number - bank account number

postpone - delay, do something at a later date (that you were going to do now) เลื่อนออกไป
postpone the delivery

suspect - to believe that something is true, especially something bad สงสัย  เป็นที่สงสัยว่า
he began to suspect he had been cheated

Mr Manaswin said he transferred the money to the account number given by Ployy Smile on Feb 2, with delivery set for Feb 6. But Ployy Smile postponed the delivery, and he began to suspect he had been cheated.

charges - bring a criminal case against a person
He said a check on social networks showed there were other people in the same situation, so they had gathered together to bring charges against Ployy Smile.

suspicions
placed large orders
He had also learned that Ployy Smile is a 16-year-old girl who had earlier been questioned at Huay Khwang police station, because other buyers also reported their suspicions to police. He said he found out that some buyers had placed large orders and lost more than one million baht due.

transfer - move to a different place
The police officer at Huay Khwang told Mr Manaswin that the case would be transferred to the Crime Suppression Division.

initial - early; first ในเบื้องต้น
initial investigation

revealed - made known or showed somthing that was surprising or that was previously secret เปิดเผย
an initial investigation revealed that Ployy Smile is a 16-year-old girl

questioning
formal questioning

presence - when someone or something is in a place การอยู่ในสถานที่หนึ่ง (ของบุคคล)
formal questioning must be done later in presence of juvenile official.

official - approved by the government or some authority ที่เป็นทางการ
juvenile justice officials

The police said an initial investigation revealed that Ployy Smile is a 16-year-old girl but formal questioning must be done later in presence of juvenile official.

evidence - facts statements or objects that help to prove whether or not someone has committed a crime หลักฐาน หลักฐานประกอบการไต่สวนคดี หรือพิจารณาคดี
financial evidence

transfer - move
transfer money - move money from one bank account to another bank account 
transfer baht

Financial evidence showed that several million baht had been transferred by Ployy Smile to Chonnikant Taichilasasoontorn, who might be involved in the case.

Ployy Smile told reporters that she met Ms Chonnikant three weeks ago through a website, and later she was asked to help post the Furby ad through Instagram for 2,990 baht. Ms Chonnikant had explained that she did not want to post the ad herself to avoid a tax problem.

informed
The girl said she had no knowledge about details of the deliveries but was informed by Ms Chonnikant that the products were being delivered to buyers. Later she was told that there was some tyre problem, so the dolls could not be delivered on time.

refund - a reimbursement; an amount of money that is given back to you เงินที่คืนให้
pressured to refund the money - make or force someone to give your money back (after you bought something)

immediately - happening right after something else with no delay; right away ทันที
act immediately - do now

Ployy Smile said she was pressured by buyers to deliver the dolls or refund the money so she told Ms Chonnikant to act immediately. But later she could not reach Ms Chonnikant.

rushed - taken somewhere very quickly ด้วยความเร่งรีบ
she rushed to the police station

provide - to give someone something that they want or need
provide information

When she knew about the police report, she rushed to the police station to provide information, the 16-year-old said.