Brit expats in Thailand warned of scams targeting bank accounts

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Inc.Magazine

 

by Bob Scott 

A chief of police issued a warning to retirees in Thailand after two British expats were targetted by scammers attempting to drain their bank accounts.

 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Saksit Choobunrueang yesterday, January 8, announced that the elderly are being targetted by scam gangs because of their limited knowledge of technology.

 

The two British pensioners reached out to their local newspaper regarding the fraud and revealed how they narrowly escaped the clutches of scammers posing as officers from the Thai Revenue Department, Pattaya Mail reported.

 

The retirees, both residents of Thailand, received separate phone calls from the fraudsters claiming they might not need to register for a TIN (Tax Identification Number), provided some routine checks confirmed their exemption.

Under the guise of helping them, the callers deceitfully asked for personal details and bank account information, supposedly to confirm their residency status.

 

In one unnerving encounter, a scammer assured one of the British expats that the revenue authority was compiling a list of foreigners exempt from personal income tax. In another, the con artist initiated a conversation about 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account, citing upcoming changes to one-year visa extensions.

 

Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau officers inspect telecommunications equipment and SIM cards in the ongoing crackdown. Picture courtesy of Pattaya Mail

Luckily, neither expat fell for the trap of sharing their bank account or card details, although one did reveal his full name before realising he was embroiled in an Internet scam. Both have since reported the incidents to the Police Anti-Online Scam Operations Centre via the hotline at 1441.

 

 

Pol. Lt. Col. Saksit Choobunrueang highlighted the vulnerability of elderly expats.

 

“Foreigners and Thais alike are often targeted because they may lack technological savvy and feel anxious around state bureaucracies.”

 

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) issued a stark warning about the difficulty of recovering scammed funds, as they are swiftly converted into cryptocurrency or used to purchase gold, which “mules” transport abroad to call centre bases.

 

The CCIB is beefing up efforts to ban fraudulent SIM cards and suppress telecommunication devices that mask call origins. However, scammers are increasingly using online platforms like Facebook or Line to lure victims.

 

To safeguard themselves, expats in Thailand should heed essential advice. Watch out for phone numbers beginning with +697 or +698, as they are fraudulent, and be wary of any originating from +66, the Thai international code. Always feel empowered to hang up and call back to verify legitimacy; if it’s a call-centre scam, you’ll likely hit a dead end.

 

 

Remain sceptical of anyone claiming to be an official requesting a chat, notifying you of a bank error in your favour, or alerting you to an undeliverable parcel. Remember the golden rule: if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

 

Chon Buri immigration reassured expats there are no current plans to link visas to income tax or require a TIN for visa extensions. However, they remind everyone to stay compliant by completing their 90-day report.

 

As the digital age makes scams more sophisticated, staying informed and cautious remains the best defence against these financial predators.

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2025-01-09

 

 

[steven100]

This place is full of scammers who will try everything to get your money.

 

Governments around the world should work harder to catch these criminals and jail them for life.   imo

 

They are the lowest of the low .... 

[mfd101]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

Yes, scams succeed mostly because of human greed.

[AndreasHG]

17 minutes ago, steven100 said:

This place is full of scammers who will try everything to get your money.

 

Any place is full of cyber scammers. Cyber criminality knows no boundaries. 

[baansgr]

44 minutes ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Inc.Magazine

 

by Bob Scott 

A chief of police issued a warning to retirees in Thailand after two British expats were targetted by scammers attempting to drain their bank accounts.

 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Saksit Choobunrueang yesterday, January 8, announced that the elderly are being targetted by scam gangs because of their limited knowledge of technology.

 

The two British pensioners reached out to their local newspaper regarding the fraud and revealed how they narrowly escaped the clutches of scammers posing as officers from the Thai Revenue Department, Pattaya Mail reported.

 

The retirees, both residents of Thailand, received separate phone calls from the fraudsters claiming they might not need to register for a TIN (Tax Identification Number), provided some routine checks confirmed their exemption.

Under the guise of helping them, the callers deceitfully asked for personal details and bank account information, supposedly to confirm their residency status.

 

 

In one unnerving encounter, a scammer assured one of the British expats that the revenue authority was compiling a list of foreigners exempt from personal income tax. In another, the con artist initiated a conversation about 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account, citing upcoming changes to one-year visa extensions.

 

Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau officers inspect telecommunications equipment and SIM cards in the ongoing crackdown. Picture courtesy of Pattaya Mail

Luckily, neither expat fell for the trap of sharing their bank account or card details, although one did reveal his full name before realising he was embroiled in an Internet scam. Both have since reported the incidents to the Police Anti-Online Scam Operations Centre via the hotline at 1441.

 

 

Pol. Lt. Col. Saksit Choobunrueang highlighted the vulnerability of elderly expats.

 

“Foreigners and Thais alike are often targeted because they may lack technological savvy and feel anxious around state bureaucracies.”

 

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) issued a stark warning about the difficulty of recovering scammed funds, as they are swiftly converted into cryptocurrency or used to purchase gold, which “mules” transport abroad to call centre bases.

 

The CCIB is beefing up efforts to ban fraudulent SIM cards and suppress telecommunication devices that mask call origins. However, scammers are increasingly using online platforms like Facebook or Line to lure victims.

 

To safeguard themselves, expats in Thailand should heed essential advice. Watch out for phone numbers beginning with +697 or +698, as they are fraudulent, and be wary of any originating from +66, the Thai international code. Always feel empowered to hang up and call back to verify legitimacy; if it’s a call-centre scam, you’ll likely hit a dead end.

 

 

Remain sceptical of anyone claiming to be an official requesting a chat, notifying you of a bank error in your favour, or alerting you to an undeliverable parcel. Remember the golden rule: if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

 

Chon Buri immigration reassured expats there are no current plans to link visas to income tax or require a TIN for visa extensions. However, they remind everyone to stay compliant by completing their 90-day report.

 

As the digital age makes scams more sophisticated, staying informed and cautious remains the best defence against these financial predators.

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2025-01-09

 

 

And people are still lobbying to go cashless 

[ronster]

Anyone ever calls me regarding a bank or immigration etc I just hang up once they tell me what they are asking about.

Only people that need call me are people listed on my phone .

[Tropicalevo]

1 minute ago, ronster said:

Anyone ever calls me regarding a bank or immigration etc I just hang up once they tell me what they are asking about.

Only people that need call me are people listed on my phone .

 

You have probably missed out on an awesome deal from a Nigerian Prince trying to give away his money. 

[bobonzo]

I never answer if I don’t recognize the number.  Blocked.  

[ronster]

3 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

You have probably missed out on an awesome deal from a Nigerian Prince trying to give away his money. 

Na he just keeps emailing me 🤣

[Tarteso]

[PomPolo]

Not sure what people are talking about I won 5 million dollars last week I just had to send $100k to claim my Nigerian lottery prize, should get the cash next week.

[Seppius]

[G_Money]

Why are only Brits being warned of the scam?

 

What possibly could be the reason?

 

Most gullible while under the influence of liquid refreshment?

[Dogmatix]

I get calls from Thais calling from unknown mobile numbers speaking in English with heavy Thai accents.  They often repeat my first two names a couple of times asking me to confirm that is me.  I shoot back with who are you in Thai and they usually just repeat their own question.  I won't talk to an unknown caller who refuses to identify themselves.  I hang up and block the number.  They could be scammers or tele sales people.  If they are legit callers, they will find a way to get their message through to me. 

 

When I was less cautious a fake police call center got on to me claiming to be investigating a money laundering and drug dealing scheme and pretended a money transfer had been made by me to one of the suspects.   They had my full name, address, 13 digit ID card number, presumably sold to them by someone from a Thai bank or government department.  I asked the guy for his name, rank and police unit and told him I would look his details up online and call him back on his office's direct line to verify him.  Of course he didn't provide this information but a gave a vague answer about his unit and continue to rabbit on in a threatening way.  So I hung up and blocked him.  They continued trying to call me for a few weeks after that, using different numbers and voices including a woman, but just hung up without saying anything and blocked the number each time.  

[JustinCredible]

I received one of these calls a couple of days ago. He said that I might not need a TIN.

I replied "What an amazing coincidence, I am at the Revenue Office as we speak. Would you care to talk to the lady processing my Return?"

He hung up.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

This place is full of scammers who will try everything to get your money.

 

Governments around the world should work harder to catch these criminals and jail them for life.   imo

 

They are the lowest of the low .... 

Don't do anything over the phone with unknown people.. tell them face to face or bye bye

[AsiaCheese]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

To safeguard themselves, expats in Thailand should heed essential advice. Watch out for phone numbers beginning with +697 or +698, as they are fraudulent

 

While some fraudsters use these prefixes, they are not by default fraudulent, but used by state-owned telecoms (e.g. Germany, Switzerland - that I know of) to route calls to Thailand through SIP/VoIP. SIP is a key part of Voice over IP (VoIP), which is the term for phone calls made over the internet. That's in fact fraudulent in itself, as they charge for a normal international call, and get away real cheap...

 

At the same time, Thailands national bank wants banks to set the maximum amount for transfers to THB 50k for young and elderly people. What a great idea: not all of us are babies or dement, so it should be that we should be able to decide on maximum amounts. Not nanny.

[Moonlover]

44 minutes ago, ronster said:

Anyone ever calls me regarding a bank or immigration etc I just hang up once they tell me what they are asking about.

Only people that need call me are people listed on my phone .

I don't even answer calls anymore unless it's from a person known to me whose number my phone recognizes.

[black tabby12345]

Some scammers ring my number only to find out if  that number really exists.

That is one common method those crooks use.

After confirming it is in service, then attempts to set a trap.

But i use old-type phone(not smart phone).

So absolutely no chance for them to snare me.

A smart phone is one major access point of  those cyber criminals.

 

 

[Jonathan Swift]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

This place is full of scammers who will try everything to get your money.

 

Governments around the world should work harder to catch these criminals and jail them for life.   imo

 

They are the lowest of the low .... 

If you mean that the whole world is full of scams including Thailand, yes. But Thailand has no more than any other country, most of these scams are from other countries.

[Jonathan Swift]

Remember folks, no legitimate authority or bank will ever ask for ANY personal information either by phone, text, or email. Hang up immediately, after you tell them to get eƒƒed

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, G_Money said:

Why are only Brits being warned of the scam?

 

What possibly could be the reason?

 

Most gullible while under the influence of liquid refreshment?

let it go pal, you are not funny,

[happysoul]

Dont trust anything said on the phone, whatever it is. Police is on the line and I need to pay whatever, come get me or let's meet at the police station. Tax same, parcel same, just do it physically never on the phone.

 

I get some of these calls (here or in EU), I like to make them talk for as long as I can. I think the longer they talk with me the less time they will have for others

[RayWright]

If I don't recognise the number, then either answer in a foreign language,  French, Spanish or Italian. Confuses them no end.

Else put on my best DJ voice and say, "Hi, you're through to Bob live on air, go ahead caller...". 

[Surasak]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

You have probably missed out on an awesome deal from a Nigerian Prince trying to give away his money. 

Now, had it been a Princess! 🤩

[LukKrueng]

2 hours ago, baansgr said:

And people are still lobbying to go cashless 

True. I for one keep all my money under my mattress and I make sure it is in a wi-fi dead zone, never bring my phone to bed just in case ...

[baansgr]

7 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

True. I for one keep all my money under my mattress and I make sure it is in a wi-fi dead zone, never bring my phone to bed just in case ...

Cash is king, pleased you ageee

[animalmagic]

3 hours ago, baansgr said:

And people are still lobbying to go cashless 

In 2022 Statista estimated losses to online payment fraud alone was expected to reach $20 billion USD for 2021, a 14% year on year growth from the previous year.  That only forms part of the total picture as online payment fraud is included in total losses to cybercrime. 

The World Economic Forum’s 2019 Cybercrime Report puts economic losses from all cybercrime, which includes online payment fraud, in 2020 at 3 trillion USD and projected this to double to 6 trillion USD in 2021!

[OneManShow]

I simply don't answer my phone, unless I know the caller or I'm waiting for a package delivery. 
I receive at least a few unknown phone calls every week. No answer to all. 

[NativeBob]

3 hours ago, bobonzo said:

I never answer if I don’t recognize the number.  Blocked.  

Exactly. Never pickup if I don't know #