Government confident that online crime will decrease by 70% this year
Target to be supported by new decrees and decisive measures, ETDA says
Deputy government spokeswoman Sasikarn Watthanachan reported on Sunday that according to the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), complaints of online fraud in 2024 totalled 35,358 cases, a 21.74% decrease from 45,190 cases in 2023.
The five most reported scams were:
- Online shopping fraud (false advertising, undelivered or counterfeit goods) – 15,050 cases (42.56%).
- Illegal websites (gambling, phishing, identity theft, and fake sales) – 11,371 cases (32.16%).
- General inquiries and other issues (threats, cyber harassment) – 3,039 cases (8.59%).
- Investment and online job scams (fake job offers, crypto fraud, loan scams) – 1,564 cases (4.42%).
- Cyber threats (hacking, unauthorised apps, malicious software) – 1,311 cases (3.71%).
Sasikarn said the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society is focused on ensuring safe online transactions for Thai citizens under the Digital Platform Services (DPS) law. This law requires digital platform businesses to verify their identity before providing services and implement measures to assist users in accordance with legal standards.
Additionally, the ministry is elevating digital platform service standards with the “ETDA DPS NOTIFIED” label, allowing users to verify the legitimacy of service providers. This ensures that selected platforms are trustworthy and traceable.
The 1212ETDA centre has been empowered to handle complaints related to digital platform services, aiming to resolve issues quickly. The government’s target is to reduce cybercrime of this nature by at least 70% this year, supported by new decrees and decisive measures.
"The government is taking proactive steps to combat fraud by continuously collaborating with all sectors and supporting the implementation of digital laws. This ensures that platforms have preventive and compensatory measures in place," Sasikarn said.
Those who fall victim to online scams can file complaints and seek advice through the 1212 hotline or Line: @1212ETDA, available 24 hours, or on the ETDA Thailand Facebook page.
