SIM scandal shocker: Telecom giant hits back at call centre gangs
Thai telecom heavyweight True Corporation has firmly denied allegations of supplying SIM cards in bulk to call centre gangs, following a dramatic police raid in Bangkok.
The raid, carried out on December 20, targeted a condo on Rama IX Road in Huay Kwang, uncovering a staggering cache of criminal tech: 286 SIM boxes, over 300,000 SIM cards, 636 smartphones, and 100 computers. Six Chinese nationals were arrested in connection with the illicit operation.
In a statement, True clarified that the seized SIM cards had not been purchased in bulk from its major distributors.
“They were not bought from a major distributor in one lot.”
The company noted that over half the SIMs originated outside Thailand, while the rest were purchased piecemeal from local shops.
To address the issue, True pledged to trace the SIM serial numbers to pinpoint offending retailers and take decisive action. Additionally, the company revealed that none of its seized SIMs had been registered for use, underscoring its tightened controls on SIM registration.
“We are improving our operations to prevent our mobile network from being abused by criminals.”
The telecom giant highlighted the deployment of AI to flag suspicious registrations and the cancellation of contracts with shady partners.
True’s crackdown on criminal misuse includes terminating SIMs linked to call centre scams and assisting police in combating cybercrime. The company also claimed credit for alerting police when its network was exploited to remotely operate SIM boxes for fraudulent calls.
Further bolstering its defences, True has introduced the True CyberSafe feature to protect customers from phishing attacks, reported The Nation.
With a growing arsenal of tools and tougher policies, True insists it is committed to shielding its network—and its customers—from criminal exploitation.
In related news, police conducted raids on two locations, which led to the capture of a 19 year old Chinese national suspected of involvement in a sophisticated scam operation.
