The Anti-Cyber Scam Centre (ACSC) recorded 7,366 online crime cases over the past week, with losses exceeding 407 million baht, as authorities warned of a shift towards smaller individual targets and a rise in job-related scams.
Police also arrested 16 suspects linked to ATM mule networks used to withdraw scam proceeds.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, assistant national police chief and deputy director of the Online Crime Suppression Centre, said complaints filed through the Thaipoliceonline system between March 29 and Saturday rose by 176 cases from the previous week.
Total losses stood at 407.98 million baht, although overall damage declined by about 94 million baht.
He said the increase in cases, alongside lower total losses, suggests scammers are targeting more victims for smaller amounts, as authorities become more adept at intercepting large transfers through faster account freezes.
Online shopping and service scams remained the most commonly reported offences. However, so-called “benefit-offering” scams were the only category to rise in both case numbers and losses.
Notably, online job scams generated the highest total losses for the first time during the reporting period.
The ACSC urged consumers to exercise caution when making online purchases, recommending platforms with escrow — or “central wallet” — systems, such as TikTok Shop, Lazada and Shopee, which hold payments until goods are received.
Users should complete transactions through official in-app payment systems and avoid direct bank transfers, particularly when approached outside the platform, it said.
The ACSC also warned that social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X remain widely used by scammers due to the lack of built-in buyer protection, urging the public to verify sellers carefully before making payments.
During the same period, the ACSC coordinated with banks and relevant agencies to dismantle eight ATM mule networks, arresting 16 suspects and seizing more than 1.7 million baht.
Authorities also intervened in 30 cases, helping 47 victims avoid 6.27 million baht in losses.
