In recent years, Thailand has become a hotspot for call center scams, with fraud schemes and scam calls affecting countless domestic and international victims. Despite long-standing crackdowns such as raiding and arresting scam syndicates, these operations continue to expand in 2025 due to advancements in AI-driven deception, increased digital financial transactions, and loopholes in law enforcement coordination. Organized crime groups exploit these factors, using fake identities, technology, and psychological manipulation to defraud unsuspecting individuals. These call centers operate from hidden locations such as the bordering regions between Thailand and our neighboring countries: Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. Workers—some who are willing and others who are trafficked into the operation—sound as professional and convincing as possible.
Some common types of center scams are: Bank account seizure/credit card debt collection: This is a scam used by many fraudsters that creates fear and leads to money transfers. Illegal activities suspicion: Scammers claim that the victim’s bank account is involved in various illegal activities such as drug trafficking or money laundering, leading victims to transfer money for verification. Tax return: Scammers will pretend to be revenue department officers promising tax returns to the victims and instruct them to transfer money at ATMs through deception. Prize Claiming: Victims are deceived to transfer a fee to receive their supposed prize. Bank impersonations: Scammers pose as bank employees to request personal information from victims for future calls. Accident transfer/deposits: The scammers claim that they have mistakenly transferred money into the victim’s account and persuade them to transfer money back. However, the victim’s account may cover their illegal funds or act as a transit point for money acquired from other victims (Anti TIP Project, 2024; Foundation for Consumers, 2025).
Other fraud schemes that are becoming more relevant are:
Romance Scams: Scammers create relationships with the victims online and ask for financial assistance under false pretenses. Investment Scams: Victims are lured to believe in investment opportunities that promise high returns but lead to financial loss. Police impersonation scams: Fraudsters pose as police officers and accuse victims of violating certain laws and demanding payments to “clear their name”. Some even use deepfake technology to create realistic videos to try and prove their legitimacy (Foundation for Consumers, 2025).
According to a report by the Foundation for Consumers (มูลนิธิเพื่อผู้บริโภค), these scams, often involving the call center gangs, are the leading cause of consumer complaints in Thailand, in 2024. The financial and emotional toll on victims is severe as many people lose their life savings or fall into debt due to these schemes. The financial scams accounted for approximately 70 million baht in losses in 2024 alone and the foundation also received 1,361 complaints totaling over 200 million baht in damages (Foundation for Consumers, 2025).
In addition, a survey conducted by Gogolook, the developer of Whoscall with the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and ScamAdviser, found that 28% of Thai respondents lost money with an average loss per victim of 36,000 baht (Nation Thailand, 2024).
As scam calls and fraudulent schemes grow more and more sophisticated, people must stay vigilant to avoid becoming victims themselves. Some ways to protect yourself are:
Verify caller identities: Legitimate business and government employees will not demand payments or personal information over the phone. If you receive such a call, hang up and call the organization directly to confirm (Consumer Advice, 2018).
What you could reply: “I’ll call the company back directly to verify and confirm this. Thank you very much [end call]. ”
Don’t share sensitive information: Don't reveal personal or bank information over the phone, especially if you did not initiate the call yourself (Consumer Advice, 2018).
What you could reply: “I don’t provide personal details over the phone. If this is important, please send a formal request via email or mail.”
Beware of urgent requests: Scammers often create a sense of urgency to pressure you to make irreversible decisions. Take your time to assess the situation before doing anything (Consumer Advice, 2018).
What you could reply: “I don’t make financial decisions over the phone. I’ll verify this independently.”
The rise of scam call centers in Thailand highlights cybercrime’s threats in the digital age. As scammers adopt new tactics, the risk to consumers has increased dramatically. While authorities continue their crackdown on these fraudulent networks, public awareness and caution are the most effective tools against these scams. By staying informed and taking precautions, we can help combat the rise of scam call centers and protect ourselves from financial loss.