Thailand's AMLO issues warning over 'ATM phone scam'

[webfact]

Warning Issued Over 'ATM Phone Scam'
Khaosod Online

BANGKOK: -- The anti-money laundering agency of Thailand has urged the public to be vigilant of scammers claiming to be police officers and tricking the victims to transfer large amount of money from the ATM.

Pol.Col. Seehanart Prayoonrat, secretary-general of Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) said these scammers would randomly call the individuals′ phones and inform them that their bank accounts have been linked to narcotics trade.

The scammers would later tell the unsuspecting victims to go to the nearest ATM. There, the victims would be told to move large amount of money from their bank accounts to the scammers′ account, ostensibly to secure the money while further investigation is being conducted.

Sometimes the scammers would identify themselves as AMLO officials, Pol.Col. Seehanart said.

"I′d like to tell the public: please do not believe the criminals" the officer stressed, "AMLO civil servants have no such policy".

Should anyone encounter any variety of the scam, Pol.Col. Seehanart urged them to report the matter to AMLO hotline at 1710.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNM09EZ3lNekl5TlE9PQ==

-- KHAOSOD English 2013-09-11

[jaltsc]

"A fool and his money are soon parted"

[jackr]

Personally, the phone goes down if I don't recognise caller, even when the bank's called. Unfortunately, many Thais are just too polite and are easy pickings for this type of scum.

[Valentine]

Who in their right mind would follow those instructions? It does not even pander to the greed factor.

[bigbamboo]

So now when you are on scam alert you have to watch out for fake police officers as well the real ones.

[allan michaud]

Personally, the phone goes down if I don't recognise caller, even when the bank's called. Unfortunately, many Thais are just too polite and are easy pickings for this type of scum.

Polite! I can think a few more suitable words.

[jacko45k]

Who in their right mind would follow those instructions? It does not even pander to the greed factor.

You would be surprised.......

Thais seem to get calls along these lines quite often.

It panders to their trusting nature perhaps, pity we all lost that years ago eh?

[worgeordie]

A businessman living next door to me,came around,very excited,clutching in his

hand a fax from Nigeria, saying he could make a lot of money easily,by helping

this General ,move his ill gotten gains overseas.

I told him the first thing he needed to do was burn the fax and forget about it !

its quiet amazing that their are still intelligent?,people would don't know about

scams like this.like the Councilor who sent ,i think 2M sterling of the councils

money to these scammers, they prey on the stupid and greedy.

regards Worgeordie

[hanno]

Come on, not just Thais. Plenty of scams in the West; if they did not work, they would not continue. You know, "you have won 40 Million Dollars", or "I am the son of Gaddhaffi and want to give you Millions".

[lucifer666]

My missus used to get scam e-mail's almost daily, until she let me answer a few in the local Nigerian ( I traced their IP's) dialect. I don't think she has had one for over a year now.

[jbrain]

The anti-money laundering agency of Thailand has urged the public to be vigilant of scammers claiming to be police officers and tricking the victims to transfer large amount of money from the ATM.

But I thought to understand from previous news reports that in fact they are REAL police officers.

[ruthsimmons]

Thanks for the heads up! This information is really helpful. We may not be able to stop the scammers from calling, but as long as we share information and we are aware, we should be able to avoid becoming victims to these schemes.

[stoli]

My missus used to get scam e-mail's almost daily, until she let me answer a few in the local Nigerian ( I traced their IP's) dialect. I don't think she has had one for over a year now.

Maybe you are not getting them, but I still am. They now come from your email address. Wish you hadn't responded to them.

[lostmebike]

Who in their right mind would follow those instructions? It does not even pander to the greed factor.

I know, it's ridiculous aint it?

'I've never met the caller but <deleted>, give me the account number and I'll transfer the lot! You want my car keys and house too?'

[lee b]

Love to see them try and get money out of me, It would be easier to get blood out of a stone !

[ruthsimmons]

I wonder if this is the scam is the as the fake DEA agent scam calls reported at Callercenter.com. They're basically the same type of calls.

[lostmebike]

The anti-money laundering agency of Thailand has urged the public to be vigilant of scammers claiming to be police officers and tricking the victims to transfer large amount of money from the ATM.

But I thought to understand from previous news reports that in fact they are REAL police officers.

And that's the scary thing. As other stories have told us, sometimes 'officers' of the law and scammers are morphing into one!

[Cuban]

For all those cases we hear about there will be many more that remain hidden out of shame and loss of face.

Any links to Thai news sources about these cases - I wish to educate some of my email savvy Thai relatives.

[louse1953]

I can't believe anybody would be that naive.

[Baerboxer]

My missus used to get scam e-mail's almost daily, until she let me answer a few in the local Nigerian ( I traced their IP's) dialect. I don't think she has had one for over a year now.

How do you answer an email in dialect? Or are you saying you speak the local Nigerian language used by the scam artist and replied in that?

[Joe Mamma]

I worked on a task force to target the senior citizen scammers. These are the most deceitful con people you could ever meet. In the courtroom many bailiffs were needed to keep the seniors kids from these dysfunctional crooks.

They used charity and other worthy causes to scam these people who still believe a persons word verbatim. These folks mostly lived their life on their good merit and expected as such. I enjoyed seizing the assets of these selfish and indulgent criminal groups and individuals and their lack of remorse, except for their material loss. The Thais here seem to do better in care-taking of their parents. The old school seems to be dying out everywhere though.

[moe666]

I can't believe anybody would be that naive.

Madoff found many who wanted 12 percent return rain or shine and many of his targets are considered very intelligent.