A 68-year-old wife lost 1.5 million baht in benefits in less than 30 days after picking up a telephone call from some con artists. By pretending to be a bank broker and telling her she was qualified to receive 5,000 baht from the new federal financial assistance program, the member deceived her.
They enquired as to whether she preferred to use a portable banking app or bank branch to receive the funds. Receiving cash online was her chosen method. She was instructed to create a Line consideration by the agent. She provided all of her information, including her 13-digit ID cards number, date of birth, and pictures, by clicking on a provided link.
The con artist informed her that the data could not be processed after the process was complete. Link after website was provided by the crew until she finally realized she had been duped. But it was too late; she had lost 1.5 million ringgit in life savings in just 30 days.
Sonklin, an 82-year-old person, wrote her final wishes in a notice to her two older kids before taking 40 sleeping pills in an effort to end her life. She had lost 2.5 million baht of her benefits to a con artist group who insisted that the piece contained illegal items and was intended to be delivered to her via e-mail in Phuket. She was instructed to complain to the police on the destination island.
She claimed she could not do so because she lived in Bangkok with her 83-year-old sick father. She was instructed by the con artist to create a Line accounts so she could contact the police.
She was then asked for her private information and sent money by a fictitious police agent. She learned how to set up a wireless bank app from him.
She was able to give the con artist more than 2.5 million baht in just two months before they vanished. She wanted to end her career when she realized she had been duped, but thankfully she made it through the ordeal.
In another instance, a 67-year-old wife in the province of Udon Thani hanged herself after being defrauded of 300,000 baht.
According to Pol Maj Gen Atthasit Sudsa-nguan, deputy commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB ), scammers target older retirees because they have money and time.
The elderly tend to believe the first [scam ] message they receive when confronted with persuasion and threats.
According to him, police handled 360,000 cases of cybercrime, including online scams and false loans, from March 1 of last year to November 10 of this year. The estimated cost of the damage was 49 billion ringgit.
Because some victims do n’t file complaints, we think the actual number of cases may be higher than reported, he said.
It is better if individuals can avoid becoming victims in the first place, despite the fact that police work hard to apprehend those involved in scamming sites.
” Hang up first when the public receives calls or emails claiming to be official.” Next, research the reported agency’s actual phone number and double-check the data.
He advised against making purchases out of concern and against clicking on links sent via SMS or Line.
He advised people to call the 1441 helpline at the Anti Online Scam Operation Center for assistance if they believe they are victims.
typical hazard
According to the 2023 Asia Scam Report published on November 20 by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance ( Gasa ) and Gogolook, 60 % of residents in Asia experience at least one attempt of these scams each week.
Nearly 20,000 people from 11 Asian countries, including China, Thailand, and Japan, participated in their investigation.
It was discovered that the most common forms of communication for con artists in Asia were telephone calls and SMS. Swindlers are quickly switching to using messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Line as a result of the rising popularity of digital service.
Swindlers are also active on Facebook and Instagram, two social media sites.
The study discovered that the top five” channels” for con artists in Thailand are the phone (88 % ), SMS ( 59 % ), instant messaging apps ( 27.2 % ), social media ( 16.8 % ) and digital advertising ( 4.1 % ).
Facebook is the most popular digital platform ( 47.3 % ), followed by Line ( 40.4 % ), Gmail ( 10.6 % ), TikTok ( 9.2 % ), and Instagram ( 6.1 % ).
The study also discovered that goods delivery fraud ( 17.9 % ), credit card fraud and identity theft ( 15.2 % ), investment scams ( 9.1 % ), and government or banking frauds ( 8.8 % ) were the most common methods in Thailand.
According to Jorij Abraham, managing director of Gasa,” Scams are casting more shadows across the online sphere of Asia.”
According to him, the report can provide participants with information that may act as a defense against dishonest individuals operating in Asia.
personal charm
People fall prey to call center groups because they lack the skills to spot schemes, according to Pol Lt Col Saksit Choobunrueang of the CCIB. He claimed that they are seduced by promises that are simply unreal.
Because call center fraud criminals are constantly coming up with new tricks that arouse feelings like fear or greed, he claimed, “most victims do not realize they are being duped until it is too late.” The best way to prevent being conned is to remain vigilant and not become alarmed.
” They want to pull you into transferring funds, whatever techniques they have,” he said. Therefore, if someone calls you and claims that you are engaged in an illegal activity, do n’t believe them. Simply stand up.
He declared that the officers would make an effort to solve the issue by detaining animal account holders. Money may reach gang leaders without them, he claimed.
According to him, stolen wealth is typically moved to “multiple layers” of animal accounts before reaching the top, much like a pyramid.
The cash is primarily used, he claimed, to buy cryptocurrencies or other valuables like gold. If not, he continued, money is transported across the border to a neighboring nation where the group officials live.
” They work quickly.” The money is gone in 30 days, he said. It will be difficult to trace when the money has been converted to crypto.
When questioned about why police can only apprehend animal account owners rather than the masterminds, he responded that most scams are global crimes and that their perpetrators reside in nearby nations, making arrests challenging.
Participating in frauds
About 300 Thai citizens from Myanmar’s Laukkai, in the northern Shan state, were just repatriated by the state. On social advertising, false job offers enticed the majority of them. People were willing to participate even though some were the subjects of human trafficking.
According to Surachet Hakpal, the Royal Thai Police’s lieutenant director, some people were facing arrest warrants for allegedly opening fake mule accounts.
According to Pol Gen Surachet, Thai residents of northern Banteay Meanchey province’s Poi Pet town in Cambodia have also requested assistance from the government with their repatriation.
The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women brought 16 Cambodian call center group subjects to the police on December 1.
According to Pavena Hongsakul, foundation seat, they were persuaded to operate in Poi Pet with promises of high salaries but were ultimately compelled to do so by the gang.
According to Ms. Pavena, they were instructed to open bank accounts in order to get their salaries, but after arriving in Poi Pet, a Taiwanese crew chief seized their passports, mobile phones, and lender records.
When they disobeyed the president’s orders, she claimed, they were tortured with energy. She continued,” One victim, a 19-year-old lady, was raped by the group head.”
After learning that all 16 banks balances had been suspended by the police, the crew sent the party again.
The 16 individuals were accused by the police of having pony accounts that resulted in damages of 20 million baht. They were taken to the officers by the base to claim that they were the survivors.
” Would not fall for misleading ads on social media offering well-paying jobs in neighboring countries,” Ms. Pavena advised. There are no such deals.
Patients who have lost money to call center gangs typically never receive it again.
Trakul, her son, said,” It is hard broken to tell my Mum]Sonklin ] that all of her life savings are gone.
She frequently inquires about receiving her wealth again. Owners of animal accounts can be apprehended by the police, but they cannot be reimbursed. He continued,” I hope the police can apprehend the mastermind and I wish my mother’s case would be the final one.