Members of the public are advised to be on their guard against online scammers, attempting to take advantage of the Songkran festival next week to prey on potential victims using five known tricks.
Deputy spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police, Pol Lt-Col Noppawan Panya, said today (Saturday) that they include the following:
- Offering air-conditioners, electric fans or air purifiers for sale, on the condition that customers transfer the money first, but they then refuse to deliver the goods. Alternatively, customers pay for the goods on delivery, but then find them to be inferior or not the same as advertised.
- Offering package tours for domestic or overseas trips, with a condition that customers make advance payments. After receiving the payments, the tour operators disappear.
- Offering discounted or free air tickets or discounted electricity charges on the condition that customers download their applications and fill in their personal information, such as their ID card numbers, telephone numbers or their birth dates. Once the customers download the app, they soon discover that money is missing from their accounts.
- Job offers for students during their long holidays or offers of investments with lucrative profits. If the target agrees to the offers, by transferring money to the scammers, the money will be lost.
- Offers for low-interest loans or employment, with a condition that those interested must transfer money to the scammers to “prove that they can service the loans”.
