Successful crackdown on cyber scammers attributed to teamwork with Cambodia
Thailand has worked closely with Cambodia to successfully crack down on online criminal gangs based in the neighbouring country, Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said on Thursday.
Over the past year, the ministry has succeeded in suppressing criminals involved in scam call centres in Cambodia who prey on victims in Thailand, and working closely with Cambodian authorities has been key to its success, the minister said.
A working group comprising relevant agencies from both countries has used information from victims to locate the criminal gangs involved in the scams and make arrests, Chaiwut said.
Technology has been used to identify the suspects and block their internet connections before the arrests, he added.
The minister said the close collaboration between both countries made the crackdown more effective and would eventually rid Cambodia of the gangs behind the scams.
After being arrested, the fraudsters are sent to Thailand for prosecution.
Close cooperation has made it easier to transfer criminals across borders, Chaiwut said.
Fraudsters involved in fake call centres often trick victims into believing they are in imminent danger and then promise them relief from an invented threat, for a price.
Gangs involved in what the ministry refers to as “hybrid scams” create fake social media accounts they use to encourage victims to transfer money to a bogus investment via a fake platform.
