Brit expats in Thailand warned of scams targeting bank accounts
A chief of police issued a warning to retirees in Thailand after two British expats in Pattaya 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.
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.
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