NBTC cracks down on SMS scams, phishing calls

[snoop1130]

 

BANGKOK, 1 October 2021 (NNT) - The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is working with the police and network operators to crack down on scams, and phishing text messages and calls. The general public is encouraged to report these scams to the NBTC for further action.

 

Providing the latest updates on the effort to stamp out SMS scams and racy content sent to mobile phone users, acting NBTC Secretary-General Trairat Viriyasirikul said groups of scammers send invitations including links to gambling and pornographic sites via SMS to mobile phone users, or in some cases making direct calls to people to offer loans while impersonating as bank employees.

 

Mr Trairat said the NBTC is now working with the Royal Thai Police’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau and telecom operators to address this issue in a more proactive manner.

 

The NBTC has asked all network operators to block scam messages and invitations to gambling and pornographic sites, as well as blacklisting the senders.

 

Operators have exchanged the details of these scam messages, and have so far blocked some 140 senders.

 

For phishing and scam calls, Mr Trairat said the commission and network operators can verify culprits quite easily because every phone number is linked to a person.

 

The NBTC is encouraging the general public to report cases of phishing and scam messages or calls to Hotline 1200. All information will be forwarded to the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-10-01

 

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[jacko45k]

I seem to have avoided being taken in by any of these. Probably because I can't read them. 

[Bangkok Barry]

I'm a bit concerned about a call my wife received. Car insurance renewal is coming up, and she was told she will receive a discount if she pays in three monthly installments, two of which are in advance. In the real world you pay more if you don't pay in one lump sum, but I'm used to Thailand doing things back-to-front so it might be genuine. Anyway, she's paid the first installment in 7-11, after the instructions she received didn't work and the contact had to talk the 7-11 person through it. Unless the insurance company has been hacked I suppose it's genuine, otherwise the caller wouldn't have known about the renewal coming up.

We also had a call out of the blue about house insurance. I still have no idea how they got her number, but we needed it and bought it against my better judgement, and the documents we received look genuine. I do know that people sell insurance as a sideline - a niece has done it - rather than be a direct employee of the company. I have no idea if that system operates elsewhere.

[chilly07]

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I'm a bit concerned about a call my wife received. Car insurance renewal is coming up, and she was told she will receive a discount if she pays in three monthly installments, two of which are in advance. In the real world you pay more if you don't pay in one lump sum, but I'm used to Thailand doing things back-to-front so it might be genuine. Anyway, she's paid the first installment in 7-11, after the instructions she received didn't work and the contact had to talk the 7-11 person through it. Unless the insurance company has been hacked I suppose it's genuine, otherwise the caller wouldn't have known about the renewal coming up.

We also had a call out of the blue about house insurance. I still have no idea how they got her number, but we needed it and bought it against my better judgement, and the documents we received look genuine. I do know that people sell insurance as a sideline - a niece has done it - rather than be a direct employee of the company. I have no idea if that system operates elsewhere

It's a bit like property- every Thai thinks they are an agent. Insurance companies outsource all their sales and there is no after sales service once they have your money. Insurance companies head offices are staffed by one man and his dog. And often the real HQ is in another country. In the UK paperwork would be sent before premiums paid Here it's the opposite and sometimes you have to chase it up. I prefer dealing with a broker face to face but she who must be obeyed insists on dealing through random calls never bothering to negotiate the best deal.

[chilly07]

Am currently being plagued by SMS Chrome messages purportedly from Google claiming my phone has a virus and will be shut down unless I buy several different phone scanners. Checked with Phone Manager and Norton which are on my phone and they report no viruses present. My phone is now like wack a mole as I zap all these Chrome Smss as they arrive.

Edited October 2, 2021 by chilly07

[overherebc]

I get an interesting one in my email spam box from TRMW @ UOB.TH in Thai and it looks like 15% interest being offered.

I just bin it then empty the bin.

[KhunBENQ]

Unsolicited automated calls is the only plague that I have.

Some shouting female voice and... block.

Just checked: 24 phone numbers in my blocking list.

But it's so easy for them to use another number.

A mate get's strange SMSs, looks like links to online game stuff?

One had a link to a LINE account offering "erotic massage" (you know what it means) in Khon Kaen .

 

[lujanit]

Well the NBTC can start with the Telcos here.  Fine them millions of baht a day until they stop.  True, without fail send me at least three sms a day.  Blocking the numbers is useless as True just uses another number.  They must have software that tells them if a number is blocked.