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Avoiding Scams in the Digital Era: Meta and SEC Partner to Raise Awareness of the Top 4 Online Scams in Thailand



Thursday 31 July 2025 | No. 192 / 2025


In today’s interconnected digital age, online transactions and investments have become a normal part of our daily lives. However, this convenience also comes with increased risks from relentless and well-resourced criminals who prey on netizens’ internet habits and lack of awareness. 

Leading technology and social media platform provider Meta is well aware of these threats and is continuously working in partnership with global governments, law enforcement bodies, tech peers, and banks to protect its users from increasingly sophisticated online investment and payment scams. In Thailand, Meta has joined forces with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to help raise awareness about the most common online scams in the country and enhance the safety of Thai users across its platforms.

 

Professor Dr. Pornanong Budsaratragoon, Secretary-General of the SEC, stated: “This campaign aims to promote investment literacy and build immunity for the public and investors, helping them become aware of fraudsters and stay away from increasingly complex threats in the online world. It also empowers them to verify and make investment decisions with greater caution and safety in the modern financial landscape.”

 

The SEC has continuously taken a proactive approach under its strategic plan, which focuses on elevating the agency to become a center for the prevention of investment scams in the capital market (Anti-Investment Scam Center). The SEC provides services to the public, investors, regulated business operators, and agencies within the capital markets and digital asset markets, aiming to raise awareness and preparedness against online threats. In addition, it fosters integrated cooperation with all sectors—both public and private—to develop preventive mechanisms and create a safer online environment.

Over the years, Meta has heavily invested in developing anti-scam technologies and continues to work closely with research experts to identify and disrupt criminal networks around the world. Through a combination of automated monitoring tools and manual reviews, Meta rapidly detects and removes hundreds of scammers from its platforms every day while proactively coordinating with its partners to identify transnational scammers and permanently take down their operations

 
Despite these proactive measures, scammers are routinely updating their tactics and using the latest technologies to avoid detection. As such, netizens must be aware and cautious when using the internet, especially when contacted by unknown parties or seeing offers that seem too good to be true.

 

The Top 4 Online Scams to Watch Out For


Scammers constantly adapt their strategies by leveraging popular trends and targeting the interests of internet users. In Thailand, the following four scam types have been commonly observed and have caused significant damages to the lives of many people:

1. Cryptocurrency Investment Scams

In this scam, bad actors will impersonate cryptocurrency investment experts or representatives from reputable crypto exchanges. They will use various online platforms or even phone calls to entice you to invest in cryptocurrencies, promising high returns. They will often claim to have "trading secrets" or "insider information" that will make you rich overnight. Sometimes, they may create fake images of highly profitable accounts or even offer to help recover funds lost from previous investments, only to defraud you again.

2. Romance Scams
In this scam, bad actors will create fake profiles on dating platforms or social media using photos of attractive people and will fabricate sympathetic or impressive life stories. They spend time building an emotional connection with the victim until trust and attachment develops. Once the victim becomes attached, the scammer begins to ask for money for various reasons, such as emergency medical expenses, travel costs to meet in person, business or financial problems, or investments that they claim will help you be together in the future.

3. Investment Scams
Similar to cryptocurrency scams, this scam tricks you into investing in assets such as fake stocks, real estate, precious metals, or non-existent projects. The scammers will offer "exclusive opportunities" or “insider information” that promise high returns with very low risk. They may set up fake investment groups or send emails or messages inviting you to seemingly credible online seminars, but ultimately, the money you invest will disappear without a trace.

4. Celeb-bait Scams
In this scam, the scammers use images or videos of famous individuals, such as celebrities, athletes, financial experts, or successful entrepreneurs, to create fake profiles, pages, or ads. They will falsely claim that these famous celebrities are promoting or recommending investment opportunities. By doing this, they leverage the credibility of these public figures to trick victims into mistakenly believing the investment opportunities are legitimate.

 
General Tips for Staying Safe From Online Scams


While Meta continues to update its detection systems, the best defense against scams lies in constant vigilance
. Here are some essential tips to help you stay safe from online scams:


·       Always verify the source: Before making any investments or money transfers, thoroughly check the information of the person or organization contacting you. You can verify whether that person or organization is qualified or licensed with the SEC.

·       Beware of offers that are "too good to be true": If someone is offering unusually high investment returns with little to no risk, or claims it's a “limited-time” or “exclusive opportunity", always be suspicious.

·       Do not disclose personal information: Never give out your passwords, bank account numbers, or OTPs to anyone, even if they claim to be working for the bank, the police, or a government agency.

·       Be cautious with advance payments: If you are asked to pay for goods or services in advance by an untrustworthy seller or a newly opened store page, exercise extreme caution.

·       Beware of overpayment and refund requests: If a buyer claims to have overpaid and asks for a partial refund, carefully check the amount that entered your account. Be wary of the buyer canceling the original payment after you have issued the refund.

·       Stay updated and learn about new scams: Scammers constantly evolve their tactics. Staying informed about new scam patterns will help you recognize and protect yourself.

·       Consult experts: If you are unsure about any investment,  contact the SEC “Anti-Investment Scam Center” at 1207, extension 22.

In addition to this, Meta’s platform safety tools are also doing their part to keep users safe every day:

 

·       Messenger: Meta may display warnings in Messenger when there are requests to pay in advance for an item, to use instant payment methods, or if the other person’s account has been flagged for suspicious activity.

·       Messenger and Instagram: Facial recognition technology is now available on Instagram as a faster and easier way to help detect and prevent celeb-bait scams as well as to verify your identity when regaining access to accounts.

·       Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp: You can complete a privacy check-up and update your settings to choose who can contact you and who can see your personal information, such as online status or profile photo, to avoid unwanted contact from unknown individuals.

 

Meta is committed to working with law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, and other partners worldwide, including the SEC Thailand, to create a safer online environment for its users. The fight against scams is a shared responsibility, and with the cooperation of all parties, we can all protect our finances and build a trustworthy and safe online community.

 

For more information about Meta’s efforts in fighting investment scams, please see: https://about.fb.com/news/2025/05/avoiding-investment-payment-scams-online/

 

Stay informed and protect yourself from investment scams by checking out Meta and SEC’s joint educational content on Facebook: SEC Thailand, Instagram: SEC Thailand, and the website: www.sec.or.th/scamalert. You can also verify service providers and authorized individuals under the SEC's supervision at www.sec.or.th/seccheckfirst or by installing the “SEC Check First” mobile application. For further inquiries, contact the SEC “Anti-Investment Scam Center” at 1207, extension 22.










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