Thailand intensifies fight against online fraud

A heightened crackdown on online fraud and call centre scams is in motion, as directed by Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. The 61 year old PM’s call for increased vigilance arose after he was personally targeted by scammers. His advice for the public is to adhere to the guidelines provided by the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry to avoid becoming prey to these increasingly intricate scams.

To assist victims of such online fraud, the government has introduced a hotline, 1441, for individuals within Thailand to report incidents and seek help.

Furthermore, the DES Ministry has quickened its investigation into allegations concerning the hacking of the government’s database, which holds the personal information of millions of Thai citizens. Reports have surfaced stating that this information is being sold online.

Last year, a report suggested that the personal data of approximately 30 million Thai citizens were available for purchase on RaidForums.

However, DES Minister, Prasert Chantararuangthong, expressed skepticism over the claims, noting that exaggerated reports are not uncommon. He also revealed that the Office of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC), the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) have been tasked with handling the situation.

In addition to this, the ministry is exploring innovative methods of scam detection. For instance, mobile network providers can flag a SIM card making an unusually high number of calls within a brief period, a typical behaviour of scammers.

Combating Online Fraud

The ministry has also devised a strategy to combat online fraud and call centre scams. In the short term, a surveillance centre, PDPC Eagle Eye, has been established to monitor potential leaks of personal information. From November 9 to November 20, the centre reviewed the data handling procedures of 3,119 government agencies and private organisations, finding 1,158 of them inadequate.

The identified organisations have been requested to rectify the issues. Since the advice was given, 781 have made the necessary corrections. The PDPC detected at least three instances of personal information theft and illegal sales to other parties, reported Bangkok Post.

Legal action is underway against those involved in these three cases, while PDPC Eagle Eye is conducting a more rigorous inspection of approximately 9,000 organisations to detect further misuse and abuse of personal information.

The government is determined to track down and prosecute those involved in the illegal sale of personal data. In instances where the culprits are suspected to be in other countries, the police will enlist Interpol’s assistance.