PhD-holding Engineer Swindled of More Than B8 Million by Fraudsters Impersonating DSI Officials
Rewritten Article:
A 32-year-old engineer, going by the name Siwat, found himself in a bind when he fell prey to a call center scam. With over 8 million baht drained from his accounts, Siwat turned to social media activist Ekkapop Luangprasert for assistance.
Operating the popular Facebook page Sai Mai Tong Rod, Ekkapop provided a platform for Siwat's harrowing tale. The engineer explained that he was contacted by a scammer posing as an official from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on April 5. The scammer accused him of being involved in opening mule accounts for a high-profile ex-politician who had been arrested earlier.
The caller, through various rounds of conversations, convinced Siwat to add him as a friend on Line and proceeded to send him fabricated documents about the seizing of the alleged mule accounts. The scammer then ordered him to transfer his funds for "investigative purposes" and provided a condition that he stay in a secluded location to avoid any distractions.
Gripped by Fear
Siwat expressed that he was taken aback by the threats from the scammer, who warned him that his assets, as well as those of his family, would be seized if he didn't comply. Over the course of seven days and nights, Siwat carried out 11 money transfers worth a total of 8.46 million baht from five different bank accounts to the scammers.
The scammers also demanded that Siwat go to Hat Yai district in Songkhla province to convert his Government Savings Bank's savings certificates into digital transfers for their gain. Throughout the trip, the call remained on hold except during the flight.
Siwat didn't realize he had been duped until he confided in his father about the situation. With a background in engineering and spending nine years overseas, Siwat had never encountered such a scam before. Despite his prior experiences with scammers, Siwat was tricked by the use of official-looking documents and the persistent threats from the scammers, which left him feeling trapped.
In addition to the losses, Siwat narrowly avoided losing his condominium worth approximately 7 million baht. The scammers had requested that he mortgage his condo and transfer the proceeds to them. However, the mortgage process failed.
Siwat reportedly reached out to banks for help in recovering the stolen funds, but with no avail. Meanwhile, Ekkapop coordinated with cybercrime police to find and prosecute those involved in the scam.
Ekkapop urged the government to take drastic measures to combat scammers. To avoid becoming a victim of such scams, individuals should verify the authenticity of callers directly through official channels, ensure security features on banks, and avoid clicking suspicious links.
By blending public awareness and enhanced legal and technological safeguards, individuals and institutions can minimize the risks associated with these scams.
Enrichment: Preventing Call Center Scams
To identify and fend off call center scams pretending to be Thai government officials, follow these guidelines, taking advantage of Thailand's updated regulatory framework and recognized scam schemes:
- Coercive Pressures: Scammers often utilize intimidating tactics, like threats of arrest warrants or frozen accounts, to force immediate action such as money transfers or information sharing[3].
- Questionable Communication Channels:
- Calls/Texts: Dubious messages might contain phishing links or data collection requests. Telecom providers are now required to halt scam-oriented messages[1].
- Impersonation: Fraudsters may mimic official phone numbers or utilize fake credentials to appear legitimate[3].
- Unverified Digital Transfers: Suspicious requests for large transfers via mobile banking or digital wallets without verification (for example, facial recognition) are indicators of a scam[2].
Protection Measures
For Individuals:
- Verify Authenticity: Reach out to the agency directly using published contact details, rather than any numbers provided by the caller[3].
- Enable Security Features: Use banking apps with facial recognition for transfers and enable notifications for all transactions[2].
- Avoid Clicking Links: Never open links related to payments or personal data[2].
For Institutions:
- Mobile Banking Restrictions: The Bank of Thailand enforces single-device access and prohibits suspicious accounts[2].
- Fraud Detection Technology: Financial institutions employ AI-driven systems to detect deepfakes and phishing attempts[5].
- Collaborative Reporting: Report scams using the Thai Police's online platform and call your bank’s 24/7 emergency hotline to put a hold on accounts[5].
Legal Protections:
- New Decrees:
- Telecoms are mandated to screen scam messages, or risk fines up to 500,000 THB and imprisonment[1].
- Digital asset exchanges must be locally registered to disable illicit transactions[1].
- Data Protection: Under the PDPA, organizations face fines for mishandling data, thereby reducing leaks leading to scams[4].
By combining public vigilance with Thailand’s fortified legal and technological deterrents, individuals and institutions can minimize risks posed by these scams.
- The engineer, Siwat, was subjected to a scam that resulted in the alleged confiscation of his savings to the tune of 8.46 million baht, as the scammer posed as a DSI official and used coercive tactics.
- To evade distractions, Siwat was ordered to travel to Hat Yai district to convert his savings certificates into digital transfers, despite the call remaining on hold during the trip.
- Ekkapop, a social media activist, urged the general public to verify the authenticity of callers and enable security features on banks to protect themselves from such scams.
- The enrichment guidelines suggest that individuals should reach out to agencies directly for verification, use facial recognition for transactions, and avoid clicking suspicious links to avoid falling victim to call center scams.
