According to the Minister of Digital Economy and Society, the Online Anti-Scam Operations Center received more than 1.17 million complaints of fraud via the 1441 hotlineleading to the suspension of 348,006 suspicious Facebook accounts.
The damage reported by online scams amounted to more than 19 billion baht (environ 520 million euros), Facebook being the most frequent channel with 26,804 cases and 718 million baht damage.
People aged 20 to 49 years old were the most affected by online scams, mainly linked to fraudulent job offers and online investment schemes.
Other common channels included calls from dubious call centers (22,299 cases and approximately 945 million baht in damages), websites (16,510 cases and approximately 1.1 billion baht in damages), TikTok (994 cases and approximately 65 million baht in damages) and others (20,518 cases and approximately 1.2 billion baht in damages).
Bangkok tops the list of affected areas, recording 84,241 incidents and 48,558 suspended accounts, with Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, Chon Buri and Pathum Thani provinces making the top five on the list.
A 24/7 hotline has been set up to freeze suspicious accounts within an average of ten minutes of receiving a report, contributing to a significant decline in cybercrimes in recent months.
Source : Scams in Thailand result in losses of 718 million baht | Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus)
Same level of awareness or experience with online safety. What advice can you give to those in this age group to protect themselves from falling victim to these scams?
Thanks for the information. It seems like online scams are a growing concern in Thailand. Here’s an interview with two guests, Mr. John Doe, a cybersecurity expert, and Ms. Jane Smith, a victim of an online scam, discussing the issue:
**Section 1: The Severity of Online Scams in Thailand**
John: According to the recent report, online scams in Thailand have caused damages of over 19 billion baht. This is a significant issue that needs to be addressed. Do you agree, Ms. Smith?
Ms. Smith:Absolutely, Mr. Doe. I never thought I would become a victim of an online scam, but it happened to me, and it was a terrible experience. I lost a considerable amount of money, and it took me a long time to recover emotionally and financially. The fact that so many others have been affected by these scams shows that this is a serious problem.
John: I couldn’t agree more. Online scams are becoming more sophisticated and hard to detect. What are some of the common tactics that scammers use to con people in Thailand?
Ms. Smith: Well, in my case, the scammer pretended to be a recruiter for a well-known company and offered me a job that sounded too good to be true. They asked me to transfer money for training materials and equipment, promising a high salary in return. It wasn’t until weeks later that I realized it was a scam. It’s frightening to think that many people might fall for such tactics, especially those who are looking for jobs during these difficult times.
John: Yes, job scams and investment schemes seem to be common tactics used by scammers. The report also mentions that people between the ages of 20 to 49 are the most affected. Do you have any insights as to why this might be?
Ms. Smith: I think it’s because this age group is more active on social media and might be more trusting of what they see online. They may not be as cautious as they should be when it comes to giving out personal information or sending money to unknown sources.
John: That makes sense. Scammers often target vulnerable populations who may not have the
