Thai police busted a Chinese gang that allegedly scammed thousands of people into paying for fake parcel deliveries.

The Song Duan 'Express Delivery' outfit reportedly lured more than 120,000 people across Thailand into paying for goods they never ordered.

The Chinese-run network was said to have a customer database through which they obtained the victims' data. To appear less suspicious, they sent out cheap and substandard items before allegedly duping people into paying for the cash-on-delivery parcels.

Police said the gang caused more than 43 million baht (990,000 USD) in damages before they were dismantled.

The suspects were named by authorities as Chinese man Wang, and suspected ringleader Yang. Four Thai suspects - Kannika, Apiraya, Netnapa, and Wanikorn - were also detained.

Provincial Police Region 2 said a Chinese woman named Yang was still at large and under an Interpol Red Notice.

Police Lieutenant General Yingyot Thepchamnong, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 2, said: 'Scammers are constantly changing their fraud methods, particularly exploiting weaknesses in the ‘cash on delivery' system, leading to numerous victims.

'Always check your packages before accepting them, especially if you didn't order anything. Do not accept or pay for unsolicited items.

'Many victims lost only a few hundred baht, which discouraged them from filing police reports, emboldening the gang to strike again.'

Officials said the bust was part of an expanded investigation into a warehouse raid in Rayong in April. The warehouse, which housed boxes full of substandard items like shoes, toothpaste, and clothing, was discovered to be a distribution centre used by the Chinese gang.

(1 GBP = 43.44 THB)