Government Joins With Banks to Combat Online Scams in Thailand

The Government of Thailand has announced it plans to launch the Central Fraud Registry as an automated way to combat online scams and illicit transactions, fraud, and mule accounts.

The platform evolved from the Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA) and the Bank of Thailand’s existing National Interbank Transaction Management and Exchange.

The platform, according to Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) permanent secretary Wisit Wisitsora-at, was created to supplement a recent royal order on cybercrime prevention and suppression, which gives victims, banks, and authorities greater choices in combating online frauds and other unlawful internet activity.

TBA chairman Payong Srivanich previously told the Bangkok Post that the registry would be a new inspection entity in addition to the TBA’s current Thailand Banking Sector Computer Emergency Response Team.

According to Mr. Wisit, the registration platform allows banks and other organisations to restrict suspected accounts from completing transactions using an artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Every day, 600 complaints regarding fraud and online scams are filed across all complaint centres and websites, compared to an average of 800 prior to the royal order.

He stated that the ministry expects complaints to drop to 100 per day by the end of the year.

The royal order permits victims of internet scams to file for the instant suspension of mule accounts formed using their stolen identity via 15 bank hotline lines, as well as to register scam complaints with police stations, both physically and online.

The rule also allows banks to temporarily suspend a suspected mule account and employ AI technology to probe unlawful transactions without having to wait for fraud to occur. According to Mr Wisit, this makes the legislation one of the most effective tools for ensuring security.

He also stated that the DES Ministry will seek digital transformation to assist bridge the digital divide across the country, as well as strive for more affordable services.

Mr Wisit stated that the ministry has a policy to encourage the adoption of innovation across all government ministries.

He believes that safe and secure digital services, particularly in payment networks, can boost consumer confidence.

According to Mr Wisit, one barrier for mobile users, online shoppers, and merchants is the prevalence of scams, particularly via mobile traffic.

He also stated that the ministry is focusing on preventing mule accounts through mobile banking, in which scammers employ nominees to open bank accounts on their behalf in order to perform unlawful transactions.

The Public Sector Development Commission’s Office directed the DES Ministry to assist all ministries in transitioning to digital-driven operations.

By 2024, the government expects all 8,000 state entities to use an e-document procedure in their everyday operations.

Warning Over top 10 Online Scams in Thailand

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) issued a warning last month about the top 10 methods scammers use to defraud victims.

According to CCIB spokeswoman Pol Col Krissana Pattanacharoen, the bureau intended to alert people following an increase in reported online scam victims.

He stated that since the bureau’s online complaint submission centre launched on March 1, last year, around 37,900 persons have filed complaints, totaling 4.59 billion baht in total damage.

Scam communications can be delivered via a variety of channels, including short message services (SMS), online ad displays on social media, and human calls, all of which promise victims a huge income from simple online work.

According to Pol Col Krissana, the top ten methods include arranging online purchases, in which a scammer sends a link impersonating prominent e-commerce sites such as Shopee, Lazada, or Amazon to victims, who are then asked to place and pay for orders that they never get.

Another fraud is earning money by clicking “like” or “share” buttons. Another option is to get money by viewing videos on YouTube or TikTok. A fourth tactic is to pay for product or service reviews, and a fifth is to post advertisements looking for someone to spend the night in a hotel.

Other methods include advertising for packing products, doing crafts at home, increasing internet viewership, being fashion critics, and short video editing for those without experience.

All of them entail the victim parting with money. This is sometimes done in order to be eligible for “special tasks,” which entail additional incentives for doing something incorrectly or failing to complete the task. Scammers always ask for large sums of money and then leave, according to Pol Col Krissana.

He encouraged people not to apply for employment via text messages or internet ads that promise quick money, and to check Chaladohn.com for blacklisted phone and bank account numbers.