Online scams: Thai restaurant reservation fraud nets 140 million baht in July, warns CCIB
Warnings of escalating online fraud rings capitalising on the growing demand for restaurant reservations have been issued by the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB). Based on emerging reports, a significant financial hit of over 140 million baht landed on consumers in July due to a proliferation of online scams.
According to the latest information detailed by the CCIB spokesperson, Police Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen, the most frequently occurring hoax reported at the CCIB’s online complaint centre was counterfeit reservations for restaurant buffets during special days and public holidays.
The modus operandi of these online scams routinely manipulated the use of faux Facebook accounts that falsely carried the label of renowned hotels or restaurants. The convincing masquerade of these pages offered irresistible promotional deals to lure unsuspecting customers. Pol. Col. Kissana said…
“In the analysis, these Facebook pages were discerned to be either newly created or alternatively, existing accounts with a substantial follower base. In an impressive mélange of duplicity and forgery, victims were ensnared by changing the name of existing popular Facebook pages to convincingly mimic a popular hotel or restaurant.”
One striking strategy used by these cyber-gangsters was the application of paid booster posts which targeted users on the hunt for the best deals and reservations in the hospitality sector. Gullible users were enticed into making a payment for securing a booking, only to find themselves facing a rude shock, resulting in unfortunate online scams. reported Bangkok Post.
Pol. Col. Kissana revealed that the moment these unsuspecting victims transferred a booking fee into the account details shared by the page administrators, they found themselves in a communication blackout.
“They were no longer able to contact the supposed hotel or restaurant, leading to the distressing realisation of being duped,”
In total, these online scams, about bogus goods and service purchases, led the list of most reported scams in the virtual world for July, according to CCIB data.
