In a chilling revelation, the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) has alerted the public to an alarming surge in online fraudulent transactions related to restaurant reservations. Unveiling a mammoth financial loss in excess of 140 million baht incurred by consumers in July alone, the CCIB has squarely blamed deceptive online practices. The prime modus operandi in these scams, as shared by the CCIB spokesperson, Police Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen, revolved around bogus bookings for restaurant buffets during festive occasions and public holidays.
The unscrupulous cyber tricksters systematically misused imitation Facebook accounts, portraying them as well-known hotels or eateries. These fraudulent pages pitched enticing deals to pull in unwary customers. In the words of Pol. Col. Kissana, “We’ve noticed that these fraudulent Facebook pages tend to be recent creations, or established accounts with plentiful followers. By changing the name of popular Facebook pages to closely resemble a known hotel or restaurant, the fraudsters have woven an intricate web of deceit, capturing victims in their net.”
One notable tactic deployed by these online fraudsters was the use of paid booster posts. These posts, specifically targeting bargain hunters in the hospitality business, coerced users into making payments to secure a booking. However, the outcome was invariably a bitter pill to swallow, leaving the hapless victims ensnared in a web of online scam, as reported by the Bangkok Post.
Pol. Col. Kissana further elucidated that once these naïve victims transferred the booking fee following the instructions provided by the fraudulent page administrators, all communication channels were abruptly severed. “The victims found themselves at the receiving end of a distressing shock, as they could no longer reach the supposed eatery or hotel, leading to the horrific realisation that they had been ensnared in an elaborate hoax,” he narrated.
According to data furnished by the CCIB, such online frauds involving phony merchandise and service procurements ranked, alarmingly, as the most commonly reported scams in the digital realm in July. Heightening the public’s awareness and vigilance against such deceitful practices is imperative to curb the proliferation of these scams.
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