The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has issued an advisory to the public regarding a series of fraudulent activities conducted by individuals impersonating Thai consulate officials. These scammers have been operating through counterfeit social media platforms and phone numbers, falsely representing Thai consulates in Australia and Japan.
In Australia, the scammers have been exploiting phone numbers previously linked to the Royal Thai Consulate General in Melbourne. The criminals have been deceiving a number of people, coercing them into making financial transactions online. A police report has since been filed by the Thai Consulate-General in Sydney to Scamwatch, the designated Australian authority for scam reporting.
Japan has witnessed a comparable trend, with scammers using unregistered phone numbers to impersonate embassy officials in Tokyo. These individuals have targeted both Thai nationals residing in Japan and Japanese citizens proficient in Thai, manipulating them into transferring funds. The Royal Thai Embassy in Tokyo has been actively advising affected individuals to lodge official complaints with the Japanese police and has provided a dedicated contact number for assistance.
Within Thailand, there have been alerts about a Facebook page, Line account, and mobile application purporting to be affiliated with the Department of Consular Affairs. The MFA has cautioned the public to remain vigilant in safeguarding their personal and biometric data against potential misuse by these fraudsters.
For reliable and accurate information, the public is encouraged to visit the official website of the Department of Consular Affairs at www.consular.go.th. (NNT)
