Telecoms regulator crackdown on online scams: 106M mobile Thai numbers under scrutiny

[george]

 

Scammers in Thailand use SIM cards registered under other people’s names to call potential victims and lure them into sending money or take control of their phones remotely to steal money with banking apps. The NBTC is working with banks and mobile network operators AIS and True to ensure that connected phone SIM cards and mobile banking accounts are registered to the correct individuals.

 

NBTC is examining mobile-phone numbers linked to an estimated 106 million mobile banking accounts to see if the owners’ names match and is taking several steps to verify the identity of SIM card owners. These steps include:

• Requiring all SIM card users to register their SIM cards with their national identification cards.
• Cross-checking SIM card registration information with other government databases.
• Using facial recognition technology to verify the identity of SIM card owners.

The NBTC is also working to raise public awareness about the dangers of using unregistered SIM cards. The agency has launched a campaign to educate people about how to protect themselves from phishing attacks, malware, and other online threats. The campaign includes public service announcements, educational materials, and workshops.

 

Online scams are a serious problem in Thailand and can have a devastating impact on victims. The NBTC’s measures will help protect people from online scams, as well as Thailand’s critical infrastructure and businesses, making Thailand a safer place to do business.

 

-- The Thaiger 2024-05-19

 

[GrungthepGringo]

Great news. Sounds like it will help reduce scams for a while until scammers adapt and develop new means and methods.
 

The question though is if the telecoms will effectively carry out these enforcement measures or not since this will require a significant investment of resources that will provide no financial benefit back to the telecoms.    

[Moonlover]

 

1 hour ago, george said:

NBTC is working with banks and mobile network operators AIS and True to ensure that connected phone SIM cards and mobile banking accounts are registered to the correct individuals.

 

 

Hmm, this has the potential to cause us a problem. Our True package is registered in my wife's name and that includes the SIM card. But I use that SIM card for all of my day to day functions including banking and Truemoney wallet apps. 

 

Fortunately my wife has adopted my surname so it may not be a problem, but you never know.

[ChaiyaTH]

It's already too late for this, Thailand is like the worst in the world, as all numbers and names in database basically have been leaked. So unless changing to a new number, they keep calling it again and again, as no enforcement for illegal phone call sales / advertising here too. Even with a new number, you likely use a old number of someone else.

 

I get at least 4-5 of these calls a day sometimes, it is just that bad, I basically never answer my phone. Same with SMS messages. Easy hack: just turn off your sim card for calls etc and only use it for the data.

 

Also when losing your phone or whatever, you better be fast, to get a new sim card under your own number, or they already gave it to a new customer, even these numbers are nowadays often linked with 2FA! There is barely any cooldown period!

[steve187]

45 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

It's already too late for this, Thailand is like the worst in the world, as all numbers and names in database basically have been leaked. So unless changing to a new number, they keep calling it again and again, as no enforcement for illegal phone call sales / advertising here too. Even with a new number, you likely use a old number of someone else.

 

I get at least 4-5 of these calls a day sometimes, it is just that bad, I basically never answer my phone. Same with SMS messages. Easy hack: just turn off your sim card for calls etc and only use it for the data.

 

Also when losing your phone or whatever, you better be fast, to get a new sim card under your own number, or they already gave it to a new customer, even these numbers are nowadays often linked with 2FA! There is barely any cooldown period!

so you are saying that if you lose the phone they could allocate that lost phone's sim card number to someone else before you have a chance to obtain a new sim, 

what a load of crock, the lost sim number will be valid for as long as you have prepaid for its use up to 1 year if payg. 

[GrungthepGringo]

1 hour ago, ChaiyaTH said:

It's already too late for this, Thailand is like the worst in the world, as all numbers and names in database basically have been leaked. So unless changing to a new number, they keep calling it again and again, as no enforcement for illegal phone call sales / advertising here too. Even with a new number, you likely use a old number of someone else.

 

Also when losing your phone or whatever, you better be fast, to get a new sim card under your own number, or they already gave it to a new customer, even these numbers are nowadays often linked with 2FA! There is barely any cooldown period!

Both not correct. Scammers don't need databases of numbers. They are way past that. They just use rapid automated dialer programs that construct random numbers. Also, not true about losing your number to another customer when you lose a SIM card. The SIM card is always linked to a registered name and, as long as the bills continue to be paid for a postpaid number or a prepaid number continues to get recharged when required, then the number is never lost. Has nothing to do with losing the physical SIM card or not. 

[GrungthepGringo]

38 minutes ago, steve187 said:

so you are saying that if you lose the phone they could allocate that lost phone's sim card number to someone else before you have a chance to obtain a new sim, 

what a load of crock, the lost sim number will be valid for as long as you have prepaid for its use up to 1 year if payg. 

Exactly. All one needs to do is notify the cell service provider that the SIM has been lost/stolen so that they can disable it in the system. When you obtain the replacement SIM card really doesn't matter.
 

Many people are also using eSIM now and don't even have a physical SIM card in their phones. eSIMs can also be added to most smartphones using a QR code provided by the cell service provider. So obtaining a replacement eSIM can often be done online. 

[cjinchiangrai]

Good news! My wife is a sucker for these clowns. One day I found her scanning our passports. She told me that the police had called and needed the information because they had intercepted a box of drugs headed to me from Malaysia. I asked her if the police in Thailand normally call drug smugglers before visiting.......... Oh, maybe not!

[impulse]

So, no information on how that's going to affect airport tourism SIMs and the ability of foreigners to get a longer term SIM? 

 

If it changes at all...

 

[John Drake]

13 hours ago, george said:

The NBTC is working with banks and mobile network operators AIS and True to ensure that connected phone SIM cards and mobile banking accounts are registered to the correct individuals

So the government knows what apps are on phones. Does China even do this?

[scottiejohn]

43 minutes ago, John Drake said:

So the government knows what apps are on phones. Does China even do this?

What has your comment got in connection with the quote it is referenced to?

[Felt 35]

Wasn't it after the Hatyai bombing in 2003 and subsequent unrest that we were all obliged to register our sim cards! So, it hasn't been much help then, but now they reckon it will🤔

Felt