Cryptocurrency investment scams caused the highest financial losses among online fraud cases reported most recently.
The Anti-Cyber Scam Centre (ACSC) said 6,220 complaints were filed through the Thai Police Online platform between Oct 18 and 24, involving losses of 333 million baht. The figures were up by 187 cases and more than 60 million baht from the previous week.
Scams involving goods and services accounted for the largest number of complaints, with 4,693 cases, or 75.5% of the total. However, financial and investment fraud caused the greatest losses among the reported scam categories, accounting for 27% of cases and more than 90 million baht in damage.
Crypto investment scams alone accounted for 58.9 million baht in losses, followed by fraudsters impersonating police, the Department of Special Investigation or the Anti-Money Laundering Office, which caused 49.13 million baht in damage. Fake online shops generated losses of 47.07 million baht.
Other major scams included fake government assistance schemes, costing victims 26.47 million baht; online side jobs involving likes and order-taking, at 24.89 million baht; and recruitment fee scams, at 15.96 million baht.
Facebook was the most frequently used platform, linked to 3,071 cases, or 54.74% of the total. Line was associated with 516 cases but recorded the highest losses among the reported channels, at 76.69 million baht, averaging 148,628 baht per case.
Bank transfers accounted for 97.97% of 5,496 reported payment cases, with losses exceeding 216.37 million baht.