The Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA) has revealed that losses resulting from fraudulent online activities amounted to roughly 500 million baht in 2022.
Yot Kimsawat, Head of TBA’s Payment System Office, said fraudsters have been employing scams that are more technical and difficult to discern, leading more people to fall victim to fraud. Losses totaled about 500 million baht in 2022 and have been on an upwards trend, with Yot adding that all of the victims had used phones running on the Android operating system.
Yot explained that scammers would trick people into installing a program by clicking a link on an SME or Line message. The scammers would then pretend to be representatives of a state or private agency and use various means to incentivize their victims into following their instructions. Android’s accessibility service for people with disabilities is then exploited to give the scammers control of the victims’ phones, allowing them to draw funds from bank accounts. They are also able to access their victims’ photos, emails and any personal information accessible through their phones.
Yot said those who fall victim to such scams should shut down their phones immediately. If this is not possible, they should remove the SIM card and turn off their Wi-Fi. The banks whose apps are installed on the phone should also be contacted and a police report filed as soon as possible.
The TBA committee member said the emergency decree on technology crimes prevention and suppression – once enforced – would enable more rapid responses to SMS and Line message scams. Banks will also be able to block access to accounts suspected of being used by scammers without needing to file a police report first. (NNT)
