amid difficult economic conditions

Many Thai people are trying to find ways to do business or invest more.

Including looking for a loan for a career

But many people are unlucky.

because of such efforts

Become a way for "criminal" to deceive

to snatch money in our pockets unconsciously

Nowadays

, “financial threats from online world”

have become part of Thai people's daily lives. According to the survey, 9 out of 10 people have received fraudulent messages in various forms, such as scamming high-yield investments.

Tricked to borrow money via SMS or received a fraudulent phone call from a call center gang.

Including used to get links to download fake applications

Until many people wondered what the government did with this matter.

"Economic Team" then inquired to the main prevention and suppression agencies.

"Online Financial Threats"

Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn

Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES)

“From where I sit and work in the position

Minister of DS for almost 2 years, the key to solving the problem of online crime that is spreading and changing jokes is to build immunity.

Immune to the people

This matters the most.

This is comparable to taking a basic Digital 101 course where you must first know how the online world, especially social media, is.

If they don't know each other's identities, they are counted as fakes.”

“Online world”

is a world where anyone can be anything.

who is not himself

when the true identity cannot be verified

The online world is therefore a place for crime to easily commit. Buying things, co-investing, making money, making fun is not safe.

And always remember that "cheap and good and free things do not exist in this world"

When Thais are a nation that spends time online

Internet usage and Mobile Banking are among the highest in the world.

It is even more of a target for online criminals.

both domestically and internationally

The damage is increasing each year.

Recently, there was a case of buying a tractor from China, pretending that the price was 1 million baht per vehicle, but selling for only 200,000 baht.

It turned out that he was deceived, the goods could not be obtained, the money was lost.

“If you would recommend

Let's say directly from the experience that I sit and work here.

In the case of shopping through social media

Whether it's Facebook, Line, Twitter, there are many scams.

Hundreds of thousands of damage. Online shopping must be careful.

Purchasing through an intermediary marketplace

Guaranteed products and sellers

should be safer.”

However, to solve this problem

DES pushes out

The Royal Decree regulates service businesses related to digital identity verification and verification systems.

That must be allowed in 2022, effective on June 21, 2023, which makes social media platforms such as Line, Facebook have to register with government agencies.

If there is a case of fraud

These platforms must be held accountable.

as well as pushing for the use of the Digital ID system, which will begin in the first quarter of this year.

to prove and verify their digital identity

which will help as a guarantee

identity in the online world finally

In addition to speeding up the sweeping of online sales fraud cases

The problem of call center gangs and the spread of dangerous malware that comes in the form of tricks to click links and download applications.

To steal data or take control of the phone remotely (Remote), it is becoming a big problem.

root of the problem

Most of them are caused by greed and fear of people, for example, fooling them into clicking links that come with SMS (SMS) or adding friends from Line ID.

The layout and content are too good to be true.

or frightening, such as “You have been approved for a loan of 50,000 baht, click the link…” or “Please verify your password.

Otherwise, your account will be suspended. Contact Line ID…” Just like a scam by a call center gang.

playing with greed and fear

“No matter how tough and stubborn, I recommend that if a call center gang calls in, don't go on word of mouth.

Hang up, these guys are professional scammers.

Talking about it will make you doze, lose your way, be hit by everyone, you've seen a lot of them."

In the case of malware disguised as a fake link or a fake application that tricks you into downloading it.

The DES has announced a list of 203 dangerous apps, which can be checked on the ministry's Facebook page.

As for preventive measures in order not to become a victim

That is, must not click on links or apps from unsafe channels.

Whether it's sent through a friend's line, SMS, do not press at all for precaution.

If downloading the app

Go to the official platform like the App Store or Play Store.

Type the name of that website through the internet browser directly.

will be much safer

Because now criminals change jokes to imitate apps.

or government website

Or banks to fool people to click to download even

Which must ask for government and private agencies to help as well

If you find that your agency's website or app has been forged, immediately proceed to report its closure.

In addition to providing knowledge to increase immunity for the people

DES has also improved the law to speed up the deterrent of online crime in a more timely manner.

Let's start with the elimination of "horse accounts", which refer to bank accounts where criminals hire people to open accounts for victims to transfer money into and pass through a chain of horse accounts.

until the money goes out of the country

There is almost no opportunity to follow the money back.

Therefore, it can be said that horse accounts are the main source of crime in the entire system.

“We found that the horse account created a chain of money transfer systems.

It's harder for girls to reach the root cause.

Many times, the culprit cannot be caught because of opening a horse account.

To be able to prosecute, the horse account must be closed first.

last year

We have closed over 58,000 horse accounts, so we can believe that horse accounts are likely to

There are hundreds of thousands of accounts.

What needs to be done urgently is

The horse account must be closed first.

Recognize that the current law will close the horse account must cause damage before it is too late.

DES is in the process of proposing to issue a draft law on the prevention and suppression of technological crime.

so that commercial banks can temporarily close the horse's account immediately if abnormalities are found

Including the use of artificial intelligence or AI to detect abnormal account movements and give the power to temporarily close them.

while waiting for legislation

The Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has issued a notification on criteria for determining or reviewing a list of high-risk persons.

which should be closely monitored in accordance with the Ministerial Regulation on Customer Due Diligence B.E. go with

And when it was found that most online crimes use a wireless internet network via a mobile SIM called

"Ghost SIM", the

latest DES has collaborated with the Office of the Broadcasting Commission.

television business

And the National Telecommunications Commission or NBTC requires mobile operators to notify the owner of the phone SIM to verify their identity correctly, in the case of about 8,000 people with 100 SIMs or more, to verify their identity within the month of January. This July, with 30 SIMs or more, about 22,000 people verify their identity within March, and with 5 or more SIMs, about 380,000 people verify their identity within June.

As for the smuggling of using the internet across the country via a fiber optic cable connection across the country.

From Thailand to neighboring countries such as Cambodia has instructed mobile operators to inspect

The latest from cooperation with the Cambodian government.

was able to successfully destroy call center gangs and hybrid scams last year

Phinyo Tripetcharaporn

Director of Information Technology (IT) Risk Supervision and Examination Department, BOT.

"Financial threats" that intensify.

And able to modify various fraudulent forms at present, which is something that the BOT is aware of and has been coordinating with many relevant agencies to solve the problem continuously.

by coordinating with the DES, the NBTC, the AMLO, the police and the Thai Bankers Association

In working process, the BOT divides the process of "scammers" deceiving the public into 2 channels, namely, the first method is telephone fraud, which is via short messages or SMS, and direct call fraud. of

"Call Center Gang"

There are many ways to deceive such as offering rewards, claiming illegal events, inviting investments, lending, buying products, etc. After that, the victim will trick the victim to transfer money via ATM or Mobile Banking to the horse's account.

which the BOT has coordinated with the NBTC and mobile phone service providers

take care of these channels

Prevents fraudsters from communicating with their victims in the first place.

The first part, if it is an unusual call or SMS number, such as not having a call originator or trying to imitate SMS from a bank or financial institution

Mobile service providers screen and block these calls from incoming calls.

Or text the victim, including “put +679” in front of the phone number calling from abroad.

To remind people who received the call that

"It's a call from abroad." If people don't know

or if there is no need to contact anyone in a foreign country, it should not be accepted

because there is a very high risk of being a villain calling in to deceive

Most importantly, the BOT has a clear policy: "Do not allow" commercial banks to send SMS directly to customers, "Do not" send emails or send links requesting personal information, account numbers, etc. to customers. confused that

It's a message sent from the bank.

or impersonate the name of a financial institution

In addition, since the beginning of this year

The BOT has asked for cooperation from all commercial banks.

A warning or POP UP must be displayed on the home page or the transfer page of the Mobile Banking app in the case of fraudulent money transfers in various forms as a "poke" for people to think at the last point before pressing to transfer money every time. time

While the second channel is an online scam such as email, social media, line, Facebook and the most popular now is

Tricking to load fake applications

which conceals the malware controlling the victim's communication device

If the victim is convinced to click on the link

or download fake apps

Malware contained within the app can transmit personal information.

Passwords and other important information to

"scammers"

and also act as

"remote apps"

that allow criminals to remotely control our phones.

As a result, it was able to suck money from the victim's account until it was completely exhausted as in the news.

You will be able to observe fake apps.

Or these suspicious apps can initially be apps that are not in the legal Store.

“People should not click on links from SMS, lines and emails of unknown origin.

or unreliable

including not downloading programs

In addition to sources that have been certified for safety from the developers of operating systems that are Official Stores such as Play Store or App Store, as well as not using unsafe mobile phones to conduct financial transactions, such as unlocked devices.

(root/jailbreak) to load apps easier

Because there is a chance to be easily tampered with

These fake apps are often presented in line with the victim's behavior, such as dating apps, live streaming apps, free movies, games apps, and photo-editing apps.”

Another app that is going viral right now is a loan app that claims to be “quick, fast, cheap interest, no collateral required.

Addicted to the blacklist, can be recovered.

Will deceive to transfer the service fee

Many upfront fees

but no real loan

And most of these apps claim permission from the Ministry of Finance and the BOT, which is not true.

If people want to borrow money

Should borrow from an authorized person from the BOT. You can check the list from the BOT website https://www.bot.or.th/Thai/ConsumerInfo/Fraud/Pages/ BOTLicensedLoan.aspx

However, the attempts of criminals to penetrate Mobile Banking to suck money through various methods

The Bank of Thailand and the Thai Bankers' Association have discussed to prevent

by requiring commercial banks to continually improve and develop their cyber security system.

to be able to prevent malware

or new methods of villains that change all the time

At the same time, the bank has also created a system to block fraudulent websites.

And disconnect the computer that the criminal used to remotely control the victim's machine.

In case of coming to work in the banking app

which is why

The Bank of Thailand urges people to update their Mobile Banking to the latest version.

or set it to update automatically

to always be up to date

In addition, the BOT is also trying to solve the

"horse account"

problem, which contributes to financial crime.

Because it is an account that fraudsters hire "other people" to open a deposit account to accept illegal money transfers.

or fraudulent money

In which the opening of the horse account is both a collusion.

data theft

Or knowingly, each "criminal" will have a large number of horse accounts.

to receive money from victims into fry

to avoid detection

The BOT has instructed financial institutions to be strict in verifying the identity of customers who request to open deposit accounts to ensure that they are accurate and complete.

Or verify your identity when opening a bank account of a Banking Agent to prevent identity theft.

to open an account

or to verify identity on behalf of each other

And keep an eye on the behavior of opening a deposit account that may also be in the scope of opening a horse account.

Both the BOT, commercial banks, the police, and AMLO have also coordinated to create "middle horse account information", with about 5-6 observations about opening and using "horse accounts" for commercial banks to inspect. take a test

and if found

will send information to

AMLO checks again before distributing the information to the entire financial institution system.

In the future, there are also ideas to regulate individual mobile banking, such as allowing only one application per device and one phone number.

The information must be verified between the account holders.

and the owner of the phone number

It will reduce the chance of opening an account to be used as a horse account.

For anyone who missed being scammed for money

collect evidence

and report online at

www.thaipoliceonline.com or www.pct.police.go.th or hotline 1441 in order to work together to find the culprit.

and freeze criminal accounts

to bring the money back as soon as possible

“The BOT has emphasized that financial institutions have measures to fully take care of their customers.

If it is found that the customer is not involved in providing personal information

The financial institution must urgently consider helping and taking care of the damage of the customer within 5 days”.

economic team