DE Ministry warns of four scam trends to watch in 2026

Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) has warned the public to prepare for four major scam trends expected to intensify in 2026, urging people to stay alert and avoid falling victim to online fraud.

Suchada Zhang Thaensap, Minister’s Secretary and DES Ministry spokesperson, said the warning aligns with the government’s policy to prevent and suppress online crime under Chaichanok Chidchob, the Minister of Digital Economy and Society, with an emphasis on raising public awareness and digital literacy to reduce losses from scammers. 

Citing data from the AOC 1441 Technology Crime Prevention and Suppression Operations Centre, she said most victims are working-age adults. The 20–49 age group accounted for 223,300 cases, followed by the 50–64 age group with 53,265 cases. 

Four scam methods most frequently found

1) Fake SMS/LINE messages with links demanding payment
Scammers send messages urging recipients to pay debts or fines, often impersonating state utilities such as the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, Provincial Waterworks Authority and the Provincial Electricity Authority. The ministry warned that government agencies do not send messages or emails containing embedded payment links, and urged the public not to click on links, as they may install apps that steal personal data, bank details or drain accounts.

2) AI-powered deepfake calls and fake videos
Scammers may use AI to mimic the voice of relatives or acquaintances to request urgent money transfers, or create fake videos to intimidate victims—posing as officials and claiming the victim is linked to mule accounts or money-laundering cases, then demanding a transfer to “clear” the case. The ministry urged people to stay calm, ask questions to verify details, and confirm information through reliable official channels—“don’t believe, don’t rush, don’t transfer”.

3) Bogus crypto or “digital stock” investment schemes
Fraudsters lure victims into investing in digital assets, claiming to represent credible investment entities and offering attractive returns. Early payouts may be used to build trust, before victims are pressured to invest more and then lose everything. The ministry urged people to follow only official investment channels and warned that scams often operate via fake accounts on platforms such as Facebook and TikTok.

4) Fake profiles on social apps: romance scams, fake shops and fake hotels
Scammers create false identities to befriend victims before requesting money transfers. Others mimic genuine shop or hotel pages to trick people into paying for goods or accommodation. The ministry urged the public to verify sellers and accommodation providers carefully before transferring money or sharing personal information.

Most-used channels and reported losses

The ministry said the four most common scam channels were:

1. Facebook: 126,672 cases; losses of 2.81 billion baht
2. Call centres: 32,000 cases; losses of 2.66 billion baht
3. Websites: 10,000 cases; losses of 1.71 billion baht
4. TikTok: 8,703 cases; losses of 534 million baht

The ministry urged the public to follow the “4 don’ts”: don’t click links, don’t believe, don’t rush and don’t transfer. Anyone who suspects fraud or has been scammed was advised to contact AOC 1441 or the 1111 hotline at any time, 24 hours a day, to help stop transactions and freeze accounts immediately.