PATTAYA, Thailand – Law enforcement and local authorities in Banglamung district (Pattaya) are issuing a stern warning to the public regarding a surge in online scams exploiting individuals amidst the Chinese New Year festivities.
Recent reports have highlighted a concerning increase in deceptive messages luring recipients with promises of free giveaways or Ang Pao, a traditional monetary gift. These messages often prompt individuals to click on embedded links, leading to a series of fraudulent activities. Regrettably, many have fallen victim to these scams, unknowingly divulging personal and financial information, while others have unwittingly installed malicious applications that siphon funds from their accounts.
On February 7, Banglamung Permanent-Secretary Sannop Kongthanajanat, together with local police took proactive steps to raise awareness in the community, particularly around the Naklua Market.
Pol. Col. Navin Sinturat, superintendent of Banglamung Police Station, underscored the prevalence of these scams on various social media platforms, resulting in significant financial losses for unsuspecting individuals who anticipated receiving legitimate gifts during the auspicious Chinese New Year period. Authorities emphasized the daunting task of recovering lost funds and deemed this trend a grave and alarming threat.
Officials have initiated proactive measures, including on-site awareness campaigns, the distribution of informational flyers, and detailed explanations of the tactics employed by online fraudsters, aiming to alert the public to the dangers of falling prey to deceptive messages offering freebies, often disseminated through channels such as SMS, LINE, and Facebook.
