Ex-Police Investigator and Daughter Lose 2 Million Baht to Call Center Scam

[webfact]

Picture: Siam Rath

 

A 65-year-old former police investigator of Khlong Tan Police Station, and his 30-year-old daughter, owner of a bakery factory in Lat Phrao district, filed a complaint with police at the 1st Infantry Division headquarters in Laksi District, Bangkok. They reported falling victim to an online scam centered around a fake tax issue.

 

Suchanika mentioned that on April 25, while at her bakery factory in Lat Phrao 87, Khlong Chao Khun Sing District, Wang Thonglang District, Bangkok, she received a phone call from someone claiming to be a Revenue Department official, reported Siam Rath.

 

The caller insisted she needed to submit overdue financial reports and update her personal information. Believing the caller was legitimate, as she had previously received correspondence from the Revenue Department, she followed the instructions in a link sent to her through the Line messaging app.

 

After clicking the link, which seemed to be an official Revenue Department website, her phone screen froze and subsequently shut down.

 

Distressed and suspecting she was a call center scam victim, Suchanika hastily contacted her bank to block her account but was told that a police report was required before they could take action.

 

When her phone became functional again, she checked her bank account and discovered 2 million baht missing. She then filed a complaint at Chokchai Police Station and sought assistance from the cyber police.

 

Suthep questioned the bank's failure to promptly block the account as per the victim's request, despite public statements indicating that individuals defrauded online could immediately ask their bank to block the perpetrator's account.

 

Additionally, banks should be able to freeze accounts independently if suspicious withdrawal activities are detected, and victims can subsequently file a complaint at a nearby police station within 72 hours for investigation and issuance of an account freezing order.

 

However, the actual process does not align with these guidelines. Suthep called on relevant authorities to offer support, assess the process, and simplify account blocking procedures to prevent delays.

 

Suthep also cautioned others to be vigilant against emerging scam tactics, as merely clicking a link can lead to the loss of a lifetime's savings in an instant.

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2023-04-28

 

- 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.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

 

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

[zombie nights]

So can someone explain. The scammers posing as from the Revenue dept must have persuaded the victim to give them her bank account details  in such a way so they could get her money?

[ezzra]

16 minutes ago, zombie nights said:

So can someone explain. The scammers posing as from the Revenue dept must have persuaded the victim to give them her bank account details  in such a way so they could get her money?

Yes, and probably password and all other personal details, after all, you don't say no to the revenue department, but she's on alone, thousands like her being scammed every day, and one should be viry vigil not to fall for such traps.

[worgeordie]

Have they never heard the many reports of people been scammed

in the same ways , the scammers World wide are making a killing ,

with little chance of been caught , in UK its only 4 % been caught

and those been low hanging fruit ....

 

regards Worgeordie

[brianthainess]

15 minutes ago, zombie nights said:

So can someone explain. The scammers posing as from the Revenue dept must have persuaded the victim to give them her bank account details  in such a way so they could get her money?

From how I understand it, when she clicked on the link it gave the scammers access to her phone they then can find all your details from bank apps etc. As they do with computers, they take control of your computer. loads on YouTube where the victim scams the scammers by taking over THEIR computers.   

[FriendlyFarang]

24 minutes ago, zombie nights said:

So can someone explain. The scammers posing as from the Revenue dept must have persuaded the victim to give them her bank account details  in such a way so they could get her money?

She probably transferred the money to the scammers by herself after some social engineering tactic, everything else is probably just made up so she doesn't look so stupid. Similar to all the car accidents here in Thailand due to "brake failure" in newish cars.

 

It's simply not possible to have money transferred from an account just by clicking on a link. She would at least have to install an app, then either grant the other person access to her phone, or if it's some kind of "virus" she would have to sideload an app. which at least on my last Android phone triggers a 10 second dialog informing me about the risks and asking me if I'm really sure I want to do this. Then after this she still would have to give the "hackers" her banking PIN, so that they would be able to do the transfer. Also banks do freeze accounts if you call them.

[tomazbodner]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Distressed and suspecting she was a call center scam victim, Suchanika hastily contacted her bank to block her account but was told that a police report was required before they could take action.

 

When her phone became functional again, she checked her bank account and discovered 2 million baht missing.

If this is indeed true, she should sue the bank, and not only for 2 million baht.

[Enoon]

1 hour ago, zombie nights said:

So can someone explain. The scammers posing as from the Revenue dept must have persuaded the victim to give them her bank account details  in such a way so they could get her money?

Banks in the UK are forever sending out information to their customers about how these scams work and telling them not to trust anyone asking , in the name of the bank, for account details.

 

Inland Revenue also telling people to beware of people impersonating them.

 

Core defense is to hang up and take ones usual/normal communication route to the bank or agency to ask what's going on.

 

A lot of people have been caught out.

 

Remember, these people are not being offered a chance to make millions.......they are just following what they think are procedural requirements from a trusted institution.

 

I doubt very much that Thailand is up to speed on this.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2023 by Enoon

[Enoon]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Yes, and probably password and all other personal details, after all, you don't say no to the revenue department, but she's on alone, thousands like her being scammed every day, and one should be viry vigil not to fall for such traps.

She didn't give them any details.

 

Clicking on the link allowed the thieves software to access and suck out all her details without her knowing.

 

 

 

 

[FriendlyFarang]

10 minutes ago, Enoon said:

She didn't give them any details.

 

Clicking on the link allowed the thieves software to access and suck out all her details without her knowing.

Technically impossible.

It would require multiple severe security flaws to execute this, I doubt they exist, and even if they would exist this is stuff that the CIA or similar would use to take over other world leaders phones to gather intelligence, not something random "hackers" would use to steal a few millions.

Edited April 28, 2023 by FriendlyFarang

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, zombie nights said:

So can someone explain. The scammers posing as from the Revenue dept must have persuaded the victim to give them her bank account details  in such a way so they could get her money?

Maybe the link allowed them access into her phone and obviously if she had an online banking facility they transferred the money.

[n00dle]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Distressed and suspecting she was a call center scam victim, Suchanika hastily contacted her bank to block her account but was told that a police report was required before they could take action.

This is unbelvable. the bank should be held liable

[brucegoniners]

That's hilarious. You'd think he'd have learned better.

[Skeptic7]

Wasn't much of an "investigator" it seems. 

[RichardColeman]

I imagine after this fiasco any investigations he was involved with should be re-opened. I certainly appeal if I had a conviction under him due to mental incompetence 

[Mavideol]

one has to wonder how good of an investigator he was.... glad he's a former investigator  555

[Freddy42OZ]

9 hours ago, zombie nights said:

So can someone explain. The scammers posing as from the Revenue dept must have persuaded the victim to give them her bank account details  in such a way so they could get her money?

The link they sent her installs an app that allows them to remotely access the phone.  It likely steals all browser codes (not just cookies) which allows them to bypass 2FA. 
They just disable the screen for long enough that you think the phone is off or crashed. 
 

[Freddy42OZ]

Here is a pretty easy to understand article about Cookie Theft and Session Hijacking. 

https://privacybee.com/blog/what-is-cookie-theft-and-session-hijacking/

[StayinThailand2much]

Hell of a police investigator, falling for the old 'click the Line app link to pay your outstanding bills'... ????

[nobodysfriend]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

she followed the instructions in a link sent to her through the Line messaging app.

Never , never transfer big money online . You need to have at least a signature and the proven identity of the beneficiary .

[FriendlyFarang]

16 hours ago, Freddy42OZ said:

The link they sent her installs an app that allows them to remotely access the phone.  It likely steals all browser codes (not just cookies) which allows them to bypass 2FA. 
They just disable the screen for long enough that you think the phone is off or crashed. 
 

That's not possible on a phone, unless the phone would be rooted. And even then they would still require her banking pin.