Are there scammers next door? Thai police issue warning on fraudulent foreign-run call centre operations in residential areas

THAILAND: The Royal Thai Police (RTP) have issued a public warning about a rise in foreign-run call centre scams, which are increasingly operating out of residential areas. These scams often involve criminals pretending to be government officials in order to defraud people. Pol Maj Gen Siriwat Deepor, deputy spokesman for the RTP, said that national police chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch is keeping a close eye on these growing threats. These criminal networks often rent condos or private homes to stay under the radar while targeting victims in Thailand and abroad through phone calls and social media. The RTP gave out four warning signs and indicators to assist the public in spotting potential scam operations that are hiding in plain sight:

• Foreign nationals who do not have clear-cut jobs; typically, these people are renting apartments on a short-term lease contract, they avoid interacting with neighbours, and they seem to work unusual hours;
• They can be heard in regular foreign-language phone calls; these nonstop, scripted calls in foreign languages usually indicate efforts to cheat people;
• Their curtains are always drawn, and nothing can be seen from their windows, but their lights are turned on at night; this pattern implies nighttime operations focused on targets abroad while keeping activities concealed from prying eyes.
• There is an excessive number of communication equipment present, such as multiple computers, phones, routers, and extension cords, together with recurrent transfers or repair visits.

Authorities urge residents that if they suspect anything, they should immediately report these activities to the police so that these networks can be shut down immediately. At the same time, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is taking stronger measures to prevent telecom-related crimes. Acting secretary-general Trairat Viriyasirikul announced that, starting Oct 23, anyone owning SIM boxes or gateway devices with four or more SIM cards must get a licence within 90 days. Failing to comply could lead to up to five years in prison, a 100,000-baht fine, or both. This new rule follows an earlier directive from Aug 30, which introduced eight preventive measures for telecom operators to help curb the surge in tech-related crime.