Thailand's cybercrime department recently issued a warning to business owners, alerting them to be vigilant against fraudsters using registered company accounts for scams. These scams typically involve posing as legitimate entities to contact customers, using bulk purchases as bait to establish trust, and then tricking victims into transferring money in advance and fleeing with the funds.
Scam Techniques and Registration Loopholes
Fraudsters take advantage of the simplicity of Thailand's company registration process to open company accounts with legitimate documents to gain trust. They pose as legal entities to contact potential customers, establish business relationships under the guise of purchasing large quantities of products, and then request advance payments before disappearing quickly. Major General Sirawat Diphol, head of the First Division of Cybercrime, pointed out that company accounts are more trustworthy than personal accounts, and it is difficult for the public to verify the authenticity of these companies.
Legal Penalties and Enforcement Challenges
Although Thai law in 2023 clearly stipulates that opening an account for illegal purposes will face up to three years in prison and a fine of 300,000 Thai Baht, economic difficulties still lead some people to lend their accounts. This allows criminals to continuously find new sources of accounts for their scams.
Police Prevention Measures and Recommendations
For decades, the cyber police have continuously issued scam warnings and produced educational materials, but the information has not yet fully covered all demographics. Major General Sirawat emphasizes that the simplest method of fraud prevention is to insist on face-to-face transactions, sign written contracts, and conduct on-site business inspections, avoiding making transaction decisions solely through chat tools.
Practical Tools and Resources
The public can use the "Check Before Dot Com" application developed by the cyber police for preliminary investigations, which collects information related to scam accounts and phone numbers. When encountering warning signals, one should remain vigilant and further verify.
Regional Trends and Latest Developments
Although the situation in Cambodia has eased after the government change, call center scam gangs are still active and have expanded their bases to the Bay area of Vietnam. The profits from these criminal activities even surpass those from drug trafficking, and some Thai workers have been lured to border areas for illegal work.
General Prevention Advice
The cyber police emphasize that the public must remain vigilant, as modern scams are mainly conducted online rather than face-to-face. If there are any doubts, thorough verification should be conducted before transferring money, to avoid making financial decisions based solely on online communication.
