Phuket scam victims rise to 5,500, losses hit 413 million baht
Over 5,500 people in Phuket were victims of scam calls and online fraud last year, with losses escalating to 413 million baht, as confirmed by Police Colonel Kritsada Manawongsakun, Director of the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) Region 5.
Pol. Col. Kritsada stated that while the trend has been rising since 2022, there was a significant increase in scam calls and online fraud last year. In 2022, 1,365 victims in Phuket reported losses of 10.9 million baht.
By 2023, the number of victims rose to 3,538, with damages reaching 18.8 million baht. However, in 2024, the number of victims surged to 5,510, with losses soaring to 413 million baht.
This spike in victim numbers and financial losses has led the TCSD to issue new public warnings about scams and offer guidelines on how to protect against such crimes. The TCSD is a part of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), established by Royal Decree in September 2020 after cybercrime and online fraud were identified as threats to national security.
Pol. Col. Kritsada oversees efforts to combat cybercrime across 14 provinces in southern Thailand, including Phuket.
In January 2025, Thailand recorded 31,165 technology-related fraud cases, averaging 1,005 cases per day. Fraudulent online sales made up 55.88% of incidents, causing victims to lose over 145 million baht.
Other prevalent scams included job offer fraud, prize claim fraud, call centre scams, loan fraud, and investment scams, with total damages exceeding 2 billion baht in just the first month of the year.
Police froze 10,410 bank accounts linked to fraudulent activities in January, seizing assets worth approximately 448 million baht.
Billions in losses
Recently, the CCIB confirmed receiving over 200,000 online fraud complaints, with total losses of around 29 billion baht over the past 11 months.
According to CCIB Cyber Support Unit Inspector Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanatat Kangruambut, these fraud operations have cost individuals at least 100 million baht per day, and officers have managed to recover only 10% of the victims’ funds.
Scam tactics in Phuket have evolved, targeting victims through fraudulent buying and selling, fake job opportunities, and financial fraud. In 2022, scams mostly involved fake sales calls and misleading work-from-home offers.
By 2023, online financial fraud had become more sophisticated, and fake sales increased. In 2024, scammers shifted to fraudulent lending schemes and deceptive investment offers, with fake sales of products and services remaining common.
Fraudsters now use personal phone numbers and impersonate government agencies to create fear. Common tactics include requesting ID card details, credit card details, important documents, or money transfers under the guise of expediting a case.
Fraudsters frequently obtain victims’ personal data through data breaches, leaked databases, and untrustworthy telecom agents selling customer information. Information can also be collected from job applications, online surveys, and investment schemes. In some cases, insiders at financial institutions have sold customer data to criminal networks, reported Phuket News.
Victims are advised to report incidents to local police, who will assess the damage and work with the CCIB and TCSD to investigate further.
Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pol. Maj. General Sinlert Sukhum suggested that both foreigners and Thais who receive scam calls should report cases at any local police station or contact 1441 to freeze the bank account.
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