Online criminals seeking donations on false pretences, police warn
Online criminals are seeking donations supposedly to help war victims in Ukraine or to hold the funeral for actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong, police have warned.
Royal Thai Police deputy spokesman Pol Colonel Siriwat Deephor said on Thursday that criminal gangs were using popular news stories to prey on potential victims, including using the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the actress’s death under mysterious circumstances.
He said the criminals sought donations via social media, claiming the funds raised would be spent on arranging the actress’s funeral and helping people evacuate from war-torn Ukraine.
“You should take precautions and verify the identities of the persons seeking donations. This way, you can avoid becoming victims of the criminals who use other people’s sufferings as their tool to make money,” Siriwat said.
He warned that such a deception is an offence under the Computer Crimes Act and carries a maximum imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to 100,000 baht.
Suspicious acts and fraudulent schemes seeking donations can be reported round the clock by calling 191 or through the Royal Thai Police hotline 1599.