Pattaya: Cyber cops raid gang's 14 call centers in Chonburi - have YOU received automated calls?

[webfact]

 

Daily News Thai Caption: Call center HQs raided

 

Daily News reported that Thailand's so called cyber cops or technology police along with AIS raided 14 places in Chonburi province making arrests and evidence seizures.

 

It involved the use of automated IP BPX (Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange) machines.

 

The raids were mostly in 16 rooms in Bang Lamung, Pattaya.

 

Seized were 101 IP BPX machines, wi-fi routers and one arrest was made of a manager who was charged with fraud and computer crime that would likely result in the public being defrauded. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

This latest move followed eight earlier raids in Bangkok on July 6th in Bang Na, Huay Khwang and Ladprao where IP PBX devices used to defraud the public were also seized. 

 

This led to further investigations with AIS over signals and led them to Pattaya. 

 

The 101 machines seized can make automated calls amounting to almost 50 million a month.

 

It is likely that many of our readers have received such calls, notes ASEAN NOW. 

 

They often start with a Thai message saying "You have been named in a criminal case..."

 

We advise you to put the phone down immediately

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-07-12

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

 

Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

[anchadian]

Calls that I don't recognize are not answered. 

 

Simple solution and far safer that actually answering a call.

[blackshadow]

RECEIVED SOME.... just do not answer if i not recognise the number......

[Tropicalevo]

I read that calls made by the number starting with +697 are often a scam.

I have been receiving a few of these lately. They are ignored.

The Thaiger

5 days ago — If a number starting with +697 rings you, don't answer. Thailand's Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) says it is most likely a ...

[lopburi3]

2 hours ago, anchadian said:

Calls that I don't recognize are not answered. 

 

Simple solution and far safer that actually answering a call.

Great if you don't what your deliveries to be made.  Almost all call at least once - and then again for directions in my experience here in Bangkok (at what should be an easy location to find).  

[Photoguy21]

Yes but I just hang up on them as soon as they start talking

[mikeymike100]

Answer the call, don't recognize the caller or its in Thai, block it and report it!

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

I read that calls made by the number starting with +697 are often a scam.

I have been receiving a few of these lately. They are ignored.

The Thaiger

5 days ago — If a number starting with +697 rings you, don't answer. Thailand's Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) says it is most likely a ...

I've also had calls from that number.  Also a few +670, +870 calls.

 

I can't understand why anyone ever answers any unrecognised number.  If it's really someone that should be known to them and/or it is important (it won't be) they can send an SMS to clarify who they are (they won't).

 

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I can't understand why anyone ever answers any unrecognised number.

It is simply automatic to answer my phone.... when I hear someone yelling at me in Thai I soon cut it off and then block the number. Saturday morning seems common!

[Liverpool Lou]

30 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Great if you don't what your deliveries to be made.  Almost all call at least once - and then again for directions in my experience here in Bangkok (at what should be an easy location to find).  

The difference is those numbers will be recognisably local numbers and you would be expecting them.  Obviously, it doesn't make sense to ignore local calls when you're expecting deliveries.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

It is simply automatic to answer my phone.... when I hear someone yelling at me in Thai I soon cut it off and then block the number. Saturday morning seems common!

I find it simply automatic to look at the incoming details and then  (in that one second that t takes) decide whether it needs answering.

[Kinnock]

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I've also had calls from that number.  Also a few +670, +870 calls.

 

I can't understand why anyone ever answers any unrecognised number.  If it's really someone that should be known to them and/or it is important (it won't be) they can send an SMS to clarify who they are (they won't).

 

If you use your phone for business, you can often get calls from unknown numbers that you don't want to ignore.  Plus delivery drivers/riders.

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I find it simply automatic to look at the incoming details and then  (in that one second that t takes) decide whether it needs answering.

I get deliveries at home quite often and hence incoming random unknown numbers.....

 

What I dislike are those SMS messages with dodgy marketing links (usually in Thai)  that come in... no number associated to block! But I found a way.....

[CharlieH]

In these days of so many courier companies phoning prior to delivery, it isnt always good to just ignore unknown numbers. It is of course easy to just hang up and dont listen to what is obviously a recording.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

If you use your phone for business, you can often get calls from unknown numbers that you don't want to ignore.  Plus delivery drivers/riders.

I think that this thread is aimed at personal phone users but if you put your number out there for new business, you can't expect anything else.   As far as delivery drivers are concerned, they will always be local numbers and you will be expecting those calls.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

In these days of so many courier companies phoning prior to delivery, it isnt always good to just ignore unknown numbers. It is of course easy to just hang up and dont listen to what is obviously a recording.

Delivery drivers calls will always be expected and will be local numbers.  the ones that are being discussed here are the unexpected scam ones, usually, with odd "international" codes.  

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

usually, with odd "international" codes.  

I had one from San Salvador yelling at me in Thai! 

[Liverpool Lou]

9 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

What I dislike are those SMS messages with dodgy marketing links (usually in Thai)  that come in... no number associated to block! But I found a way.....

Lotus's had recently been sending me an identical SMS every day for a week or so with a survey, it's not a scam but it's bloody annoying.  They show no number, either, but they can still easily be blocked via the three dots. 

[Liverpool Lou]

6 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

usually, with odd "international" codes.  

I had one from San Salvador yelling at me in Thai! 

I've had calls from the Fiji code (+697), the Timor-Leste code (+670) and a code that Googles as "Immarsat" (+870), the UK satellite telecoms company.

[lopburi3]

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Lotus's had recently been sending me an identical SMS every day for a week or so with a survey, it's not a scam but it's bloody annoying.  They show no number, either, but they can still easily be blocked via the three dots. 

Happy (or not) that someone else has been getting that SMS - even going to site and trying to take the survey (asks if you employed by Lotus or not and that is it).  No other questions - but you still keep getting the SMS to a new site each day.  ????

[Liverpool Lou]

7 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

34 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I've also had calls from that number.  Also a few +670, +870 calls.

 

I can't understand why anyone ever answers any unrecognised number.  If it's really someone that should be known to them and/or it is important (it won't be) they can send an SMS to clarify who they are (they won't).

 

Excellent strategy for a retired hermit, but for anyone who still works, has friends or orders things on line, it just wont work.

 

You made exactly the same comments on a similar thread last year, not everyone lives like you, give it a rest.

"...anyone who still works, has friends or orders things on line, it just wont work".

Yes, it will.  I know that I don't have friends calling from Fiji, Timor-Leste or a UK satellite communications company, plus my friends tell me their phone numbers, if they get a new one they message me.   

 

When I'm expecting a delivery I don't ignore local numbers, there's not many Thai delivery drivers who call from Fiji or Timor.

 

"...not everyone lives like you, give it a rest".

Ok, any other rules you'd like to think you can impose on other members?   As far as "give it a rest", no, I'm good, thanks.

[Liverpool Lou]

21 minutes ago, Kinnock said:

You made exactly the same comments on a similar thread last year

Thanks for monitoring my comments, hope it makes you feel important.  

[Liverpool Lou]

11 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Happy (or not) that someone else has been getting that SMS - even going to site and trying to take the survey (asks if you employed by Lotus or not and that is it).  No other questions - but you still keep getting the SMS to a new site each day.  ????

Yes, that was the one (the ones), ridiculous.  I don't get them since I blocked them.

[Lucky Bones]

Must to ask myself....

How many girls did I give my number to last night?

[rwill]

My wife kept getting called with a recorded message.  Something about people were reporting problems with her phone and she needed to contact them to fix it.

[sead]

Wait. You can't be billed if someone calls you. Only if you call them back

[peterfranks]

7 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I think that this thread is aimed at personal phone users but if you put your number out there for new business, you can't expect anything else.   As far as delivery drivers are concerned, they will always be local numbers and you will be expecting those calls.

As if those spam calls don't come from local numbers.

 

Maybe 1% of the spam calls I receive have an international prefix

[peterfranks]

1 hour ago, sead said:

Wait. You can't be billed if someone calls you. Only if you call them back

Yes, and you also don't risk a virus, unless you download something.

 

So if I get a call, I answer it, and as soon as I hear a voice message, I hang up and block the number and report as spam.

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I've also had calls from that number.  Also a few +670, +870 calls.

 

I can't understand why anyone ever answers any unrecognised number.  If it's really someone that should be known to them and/or it is important (it won't be) they can send an SMS to clarify who they are (they won't).

 

Food delivery staff, including those services delivering parcels often call first to check someone is home for collection.

Pick-up, if it's automated just hang-up.

 

[Johnnyngai]

I talk to them and waste their time.

After 12 incidents, they are now afraid to talk to me.