Anti-Scam Center warns of four online scams targeting Thais this Songkran

Anti-Online Scam Operation Center has warned the public to stay alert to online fraud during the Songkran holiday, saying criminals are refining their tactics to make scams harder to detect and hoping to exploit the long break to cause widespread damage.

The AOC 1441 hotline said Songkran is a high-risk period because people tend to travel more and spend more, making them easier targets for online criminals.

It identified four major scam tactics now spreading widely.

The first involves fake accommodation and travel ticket bookings. Scammers create bogus pages or websites and advertise unusually cheap deals to trick people into transferring money in advance before disappearing with the funds. The AOC advised people to book only through trusted platforms and avoid direct transfers.

The second scam involves hacked social media accounts being used to ask for money. Fraudsters use Facebook or LINE accounts belonging to friends or relatives to send urgent messages asking for financial help.

The recommended safeguard is to call and verify the person’s identity before sending any money, while also strengthening account security with strong passwords and two-factor authentication.

The third involves fake links offering cash giveaways or discounts. These often appear in the form of seasonal promotions, such as travel cash handouts or fuel discounts.

Once clicked, the link may immediately steal personal data. People are therefore urged not to click links from unknown sources and to check URLs carefully before opening them.

The fourth scam centres on fake pages selling festival-related products. Popular items such as water guns, floral shirts and decorative goods are often advertised at tempting prices, with buyers pressured to transfer payment quickly.

The AOC advised consumers to buy only from sellers with a clear identity, genuine reviews and safer payment methods such as cash on delivery or channels that offer buyer protection.

At the same time, statistics for April 2025 showed a total of 23,794 online crime cases. The most common category was fraudulent goods purchases, with 11,668 cases.

This was followed by scams involving transfers to claim prizes, with 4,342 cases, fake job offers with 2,781 cases, loan scams with 1,750 cases and investment scams with 1,296 cases.

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has also urged the public to follow what it calls the “four don’ts”: do not click links from unknown sources, do not believe offers that seem too good to be true, do not rush to transfer money, and do not transfer any money until the other party’s identity has been clearly verified.

Anyone who falls victim to online crime is advised to contact the AOC hotline on 1441 immediately so that suspicious accounts can be frozen without delay, or report information through the 1111 hotline, which operates around the clock, to help limit the damage as much as possible during the holiday period.