Bangkok: The government, through Mr. Anukul Prueksanusak, Deputy Government Spokesperson, has issued a warning to the public about the dangers of online love spells and scams, especially during the Valentine's Day season. Citizens are urged to be cautious of falling for scams that could lead to financial loss through various online platforms, applications, and SMS messages. The advice includes being wary of sharing personal information with strangers and verifying the credibility of online flower shops before making any purchases, to avoid transferring money to fraudulent accounts.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Anukul detailed the numerous forms of online fraud currently prevalent. Despite government efforts to monitor and prevent these scams, including romance scams where individuals are tricked into relationships to exploit their trust, fraudulent activities persist. The scams identified include tactics such as enticing individuals into romantic relationships with promises of investment opportunities (Hybrid scam), manipulating victims to download apps that allow scammers to control their devices (Remote access scam), and exploiting personal images for blackmail (Sextortion).
Additional fraudulent schemes involve foreign scammers pretending to initiate romantic relationships with the promise of marriage in Thailand, requiring the victim to pay taxes on fictitious assets. Other scams include deceitful claims of inheritance that require tax payments, unclaimed insurance policies, and expensive prizes stuck at checkpoints needing fees. There are also fraudsters posing as foreign businessmen seeking joint ventures.
Mr. Anukul emphasized the importance of vigilance against online scams and urged victims or witnesses of such fraudulent activities to report them. The public can contact the 24-hour hotline 1212 for assistance if deceived, and take action to freeze accounts with the AOC at 1441. Reports of fake news and online crimes can be made via the 1111 hotline, which is also available 24/7.