According to the 2025 annual report by caller identification and anti-scam service Whoscall, Thais were targeted approximately 173 million times by scam calls and fake SMS messages last year.
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand is grappling with a growing surge in scam phone calls and fraudulent messages, with new data showing the country has become one of the most heavily targeted markets in Asia.
According to the 2025 annual report by caller identification and anti-scam service Whoscall, Thais were targeted approximately 173 million times by scam calls and fake SMS messages last year.
Of the total, around 39 million were scam calls and 134 million were fraudulent text messages, up from around 38 million calls and 130 million messages the previous year. The figures underscore a persistent and expanding threat, even as authorities step up enforcement efforts.
Thai authorities reported a short-term decline in phone scam activity earlier this year as enforcement efforts intensified along the Thailand–Cambodia border. However, the impact lasted less than two months, as criminal groups quickly adapted, relocated operations, and resumed activities at an even greater scale.
Scam operations have evolved into “industry-level” networks. Once small and loosely organised groups, they now operate like professional businesses, with defined roles, work schedules, and large-scale outreach strategies.
The report also highlights increasing sophistication in scam tactics. Fraudsters are leveraging automated calling systems and mass SMS campaigns, while using emojis, unusual characters, and multilingual text to bypass telecom filters. This allows malicious messages to reach users more easily.
Widespread data leaks have further exacerbated the problem. In many cases, leaked phone numbers are linked to personal details such as names, email addresses, and even passwords. This enables scammers to shift from random outreach to highly targeted and convincing attacks.
Police warned that scams are now carried out across phone calls, text messages, and social media platforms, often exploiting fear, urgency, or trust. Financial losses are estimated at about 70 million THB (2.14 million USD) per day./.
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The investigation found that the scheme attracted more than 8,000 investors, causing losses estimated at 1.6 billion CNY or 7 billion THB.
The four scam methods most frequently found are fake SMS/LINE messages with links demanding payment; AI-powered deepfake calls and fake videos; bogus crypto or “digital stock” investment schemes; and fake profiles on social apps: romance scams, fake shops and fake hotels.
Teo revealed on May 16 that online scam losses in Malaysia reached 2.77 billion RM (about 700 million USD) last year, compared with 1.28 billion RM in 2023 and 1.57 billion RM in 2024. Investment scams accounted for the largest share of the losses.
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A Myanmar bill proposes the death penalty as the highest punishment for individuals who illegally abduct, abuse, torture or detain others to coerce them into committing online fraud. It also proposes a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for individuals directly operating scam centres or engaging in fraud involving digital currencies.
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The revenue target represents about 20% of the projected growth in the Asia Pacific MRO market, which is forecasted to top 60 billion USD by 2030.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed relevant agencies to accelerate measures against the use of Thai nominees on behalf of foreign individuals and organisations involved in illegal business activities.
Combined revenue from Daesang’s Southeast Asian subsidiaries reached about 790 billion KRW in 2025, up 29% compared to 2021.
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