Thai police have cautioned internet gamers to be on the lookout for online scammers who steal their money and online identities.
Royal Thai Police (RTP) deputy spokesman Pol Col Siriwat Deepor said the warning was issued by National police head Pol Gen Suwat Jongyodsuk.
Pol Col Siriwat stated the measure is part of a public awareness campaign against technology crimes targeting young online gamers.
According to the RTP deputy spokesman, several fraudsters who stole millions of baht from young gamers have recently been captured. Many more, however, continue to prey on unskilled gamers, causing harm to the victims and their families.
In several instances, the agency warned that scammers would approach fellow game players and offer to send them in-game items in exchange for the victims’ personal and banking information.
Pol Col Siriwat went on to say that some scammers also made themselves appear to be from a well-known gaming organization and offered rewards to online players in exchange for pornographic images. Other players were enticed to join gambling activities or meet in person to discuss payment for popular gaming items without parental approval.
To preserve personal identification and avoid any financial harm, the RTP deputy spokesman asked parents to regularly monitor their children’s online gaming activities and to quickly alert authorities of any suspicious interaction between their child and other individuals. (NNT)