TikTok builds three-layer defence against online scams in Thailand

TikTok has expanded its ThaisAware campaign as it enters its third year, bringing together 13 public-sector and civil-society partners to strengthen online-scam awareness in Thailand.

First launched in 2024 with eight partners, the initiative expanded to 12 in its second year and now involves 13 organisations. The 2026 campaign comes as online fraud continues to cause substantial losses.

According to the Thailand Consumers Council (TCC), people in Thailand lost nearly 9 billion baht to online scam networks in the first six months of 2026, when more than 170,000 online fraud cases were recorded. Average losses exceeded 52,000 baht per case.

The figures highlight the scale of the problem as scammers increasingly use digital channels that form part of people’s everyday lives.

Campaign enters third year

TikTok reported that video views linked to ThaisAware rose from 3.4 billion in the first season to 17 billion in the second. The company also reported that partner agencies had observed a noticeable decline in the number of people falling victim to online threats following exposure to educational content on the platform.

For Season 3, the campaign will focus on three areas: awareness of cyber threats involving AI and deepfakes, greater protection across the TikTok Shop e-commerce ecosystem, and the prevention of financial and investment scams.

The campaign’s content will also move beyond general warnings towards practical solutions and guidance on how users can protect their rights.

Chanida Klyphun, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations for Southeast Asia at TikTok, described digital literacy as the most important foundation for protecting users.

“Scammers are constantly evolving. They are using new methods and increasingly systematic and sophisticated schemes. That is why ThaisAware Season 3 was created,” she explained.

Chanida added that cooperation with government agencies and civil-society organisations helps TikTok identify trends, terminology and scam techniques that the platform might not otherwise encounter.

Regulators, law-enforcement bodies and financial agencies can share emerging information and keywords with TikTok, allowing the platform to learn from new threats and respond through both technology and human oversight.

Human behaviour remains a key vulnerability

Chanida identified “love, greed, anger and delusion” as basic human vulnerabilities that scammers can exploit, particularly when people focus on an immediate benefit and overlook safeguards.

She cited online shopping as an example. A buyer may be offered a 20% discount for moving a transaction outside a platform, but doing so can remove protections available through the platform’s payment, return and refund systems.

Once money has been transferred outside the platform, recovering it can become much more difficult and may require assistance from law-enforcement agencies.

“Sometimes we focus on the immediate benefit and forget to think about what we can do to protect ourselves,” Chanida noted.

The campaign therefore continues to promote TikTok’s “Stop, Think, Decide, Act” principle, encouraging users to pause before believing information, sharing content or transferring money.

Chanida stressed that digital literacy should extend beyond TikTok itself. People who understand the strengths, weaknesses and safety features of the platforms they use are better equipped to protect themselves across the digital environment.

“Whatever platform you use, if you understand the basics of protecting yourself, know the strengths and weaknesses of that platform, and know how to manage your own safety and avoid being scammed, you will be better able to navigate the digital world safely and confidently,” she concluded.

13 organisations join forces

Season 3 is being run under the theme “Stay Alert. Stay Ahead of Digital Threats”, with the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) joining as the 13th partner. TikTok will also continue working with its 12 existing core partners to build comprehensive digital resilience capable of keeping pace with emerging cyber threats.

The 12 existing partners are the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), Cofact, Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), Thailand Consumers Council (TCC), Bank of Thailand (BOT), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).

The campaign is promoting the “13 Heroes” concept, drawing on the expertise of each organisation to produce in-depth, high-quality scam-awareness content. It aims to deliver knowledge and safety information to more than 50 million users in Thailand.

TikTok is also working with creators to broaden public awareness and has introduced a gamified interactive filter designed to turn awareness into practical online-safety behaviour in a way that is engaging, easy to understand and immediately applicable.

Building a three-layer digital shield for Thais

ThaisAware Season 3 brings together 13 government agencies and civil-society organisations to help people identify and respond to emerging digital scams. The initiative will use TikTok to distribute educational content to audiences across Thailand.

TikTok and its partners will expand the initiative beyond general awareness by providing practical guidance and solutions across three areas under its “three-layer digital shield” framework:

• Layer 1: Think before you trust — recognising emerging scams in the AI-driven digital world: This layer focuses on raising awareness of and tackling emerging cyber threats, particularly scams involving AI technology and deepfakes, supported by mechanisms designed to disrupt scams quickly. It is led by MDES, CIB, NCSA and AOC 1441.
   
• Layer 2: Check before you pay — making safer, more informed online purchases: This layer provides consumers with guidance on assessing online offers across websites and social media. It covers checking sellers, product information, safety standards and certifications, as well as understanding consumer rights and where to seek help. The initiative aims to help consumers identify counterfeit, substandard and illegal products before making a purchase. It is led by TISI, ETDA, FDA, OCPB, CCIB and TCC.
   
• Layer 3: Spot the risk before falling victim — building financial resilience in the digital world: This layer focuses on explaining complex investment fraud and fraudulent money-transfer schemes in the digital era to help protect people’s assets. It is led by BOT, SEC, DSI and Cofact.

To extend the campaign’s reach across different sections of the public, TikTok has joined forces with a number of well-known creators to produce scam-awareness videos. 

It has also launched a special “Safe or Scam” activity on the TikTok app, inviting users nationwide to test their ability to identify suspicious situations and share fraud-spotting tips through #ThaisAware.

TikTok is also placing particular emphasis on younger users through back-end safety systems, automatic privacy settings and screen-time management features for users under 18. The measures are intended to provide protection across several levels, from policy and technological innovation to the development of a sustainable culture of online safety.