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How to Report Online Scams If Tricked into Transferring Money in 2024 – Check This Out!

How to Report Online Scams If Tricked into Transferring Money in 2024 – Check This Out!

June 18, 2024

5 minute

In 2024, reports of people being scammed into transferring money or falling victim to online fraud remain frequent. These days, scammers are everywhere, and we’ve become suspicious of every unknown phone number that calls us. Those who have been tricked into transferring money often worry about whether they can get their money back if they report the incident online. What should you do after being scammed into transferring money? How can you identify scammers or check their names? What is a mule account? What is a mule SIM? And after being scammed, what methods can you use to freeze the scammer’s account? Today, we’ve compiled ways to deal with scammers, how to report incidents after being tricked into transferring money, and tips on identifying scammers you should watch out for. Let’s get prepared.


1. What to do if you’ve been tricked into transferring money

2. Will you get your money back if tricked into transferring it?

3. Ways to check scammers’ names online in 2024

4. What is a mule account?

5. Common scam tactics used by scammers

6. Bank contact numbers for freezing mule accounts


1. What to do if you’ve been tricked into transferring money

1. What to do if youve been tricked into transferring money


Nowadays, we must always be wary of scammers in every step of our lives. We fear being scammed when shopping online, having our money drained if we answer calls from unknown numbers, or losing all our money if we click links sent via SMS. The tricks scammers use really give us constant headaches. Falling victim to a scam and transferring money could leave you nearly broke. So, what should you do if you’ve been tricked? Here are the steps to take:


Gather evidence

Once you realize you’ve been scammed into transferring money, the first thing to do is stay calm. Don’t panic. Then, collect all the evidence to report the incident. For example, if you were scammed while shopping online, take screenshots or save the evidence and print it out. The necessary information includes:


  • Screenshots of the website or the seller’s profile where you placed the order.
  • Seller details such as name, address, phone number, and bank account number.
  • Saved chat conversations with the seller.
  • Proof of the money transfer.

 

How to report a scam after being tricked into transferring money

Once you’ve gathered all the evidence, use it to file a report and pursue legal action. There are two ways to report a scam:


1. Report at the location of the incident where the scam occurred


You can take your ID card and the collected evidence to the police station in the area where the money transfer took place. Provide details of the incident and explain the situation. Since these types of cases have a statute of limitations of only three months, you should file a report within three months from the date you realized you were scammed. Make sure to state clearly that you want to “pursue the case to its fullest extent.”


2. Report online

To report online scams where you’ve been tricked into transferring money, you can file a report through the Royal Thai Police’s website or contact the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) hotline at 1441 (available 24/7). You will need to fill out information such as your name, alias, identification number, email, phone number, bank account numbers used in the transaction, and other contact methods, as well as attach evidence of the money transfer. Once the officers receive your online report, they will forward the case to a local police station of your convenience. Investigators will then call you to schedule an interview and proceed with the legal process accordingly.


Contact the bank to freeze the account

After filing the report, the next step is to take the scammed bank account number, the police report, and proof of your money transfer to the scammer’s bank to request a refund or freeze their account. You can contact the bank to freeze the scammer’s account and prevent them from using the money.

โดนหลอกโอนเงิน จะได้เงินคืนไหม

2. Will you get your money back if tricked into transferring it?


Of course, anyone who has been tricked into transferring money will worry about whether they’ll get their money back. After being scammed and filing a report to request the freezing of the account, the bank will investigate to determine if the account reported is linked to criminal activities, money laundering, or fraud. Then, they will immediately freeze transactions temporarily for no more than 7 days.


During this period, the account owner you reported will not be able to withdraw money from their account but will still be able to receive deposits. Whether you’ll get your money back depends on whether the transferred amount has already been withdrawn or used. Once you’ve been scammed, the scammers might quickly withdraw the money or transfer it further into multiple mule accounts, making it harder to freeze the final destination account. Therefore, it cannot be clearly guaranteed whether you’ll get your money back or how many days it may take.


3. Ways to check scammersnames online in 2024


Nowadays, shopping online is very popular because it’s convenient, offers quick delivery, and allows for easy payment, including cash on delivery. However, these advantages often come with loopholes for scammers to exploit, such as not receiving ordered items, receiving items that don’t match the description, or receiving packages for cash-on-delivery payment despite not having placed an order. The numerous tricks scammers use to find ways to cheat can be very frustrating. Therefore, you should always check the names and accounts of sellers carefully before deciding to transfer money. Here’s how:


1. Check names on Google

Search the seller’s name or account holder’s name on Google. If the person has a history of scamming, there will often be warning details about their past activities.


2. Check names on social media

Besides Google, you can also check scammers’ names on social media. People who have been scammed often share news and warnings on various platforms to alert others.


3. Check on the Blacklistseller website

To make things more convenient, you can check the scammer’s account number on the Blacklistseller website, which provides detailed information about scammers, including account names and histories of fraudulent activities, from the buying process to the transfer of money.


4. Check on the Chaladohn website

If you want to verify whether the person you’re dealing with is a scammer, you can also use the Chaladohn website. This platform allows you to check information such as account names, account numbers, and phone numbers or SMS senders to determine if they are scammers. You can also report scammer details through this website.


5. Check on the Checkgon website

Another website you can use to check for scammers is the new Checkgon website. It allows you to verify phone numbers, account numbers, or PromptPay accounts to see if the account belongs to a scammer. You’ll need to input the bank account number, PromptPay number, phone number, or website URL you want to check before making a transfer. Additionally, you can report scammer tips on this site.


6. Check scammers from phone numbers

A popular method for detecting scammers, especially call center gangs, is to check their phone numbers. Scammers continue to call with new tricks, so these mobile applications have become essential. These include:


  • Whoscall – An app to check phone numbers and SMS messages that alerts you if the sender is a scammer.
  • Truecaller – An app to identify the source of calls, especially those from overseas.


4. What is a mule account?


Many people often hear the term “mule account” when there is news about someone being scammed, but they might not know what it actually means. Let’s take a closer look at how dangerous mule accounts are, whether you could fall victim to identity theft, and what to do if you unknowingly become a money mule.


A mule account is a bank account belonging to another person that is used as a channel for conducting financial transactions, such as transferring or receiving money obtained through illegal activities. The purpose is to prevent any evidence from leading back to the perpetrators. Nowadays, mule accounts are widely used in criminal activities, including fraud, gambling, or drug trafficking. The most common instances involve scams such as loan offers through various loan applications, the LINE app, or, most notably, call center gangs that trick victims into transferring money to the scammers’ mule accounts.


Opening a mule account or unknowingly becoming a money mule carries severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment. According to the Royal Ordinance on Measures for the Prevention and Suppression of Technological Crimes, B.E. 2566 (2023): “The owner of a mule account or mule number is subject to imprisonment of no more than 3 years, a fine of no more than 300,000 Baht, or both. In addition, anyone who facilitates, advertises, or spreads information in any way to buy, sell, rent, or lend bank accounts, electronic cards, e-wallet accounts, or mobile phone numbers registered under an individual’s name but cannot identify the user is subject to imprisonment of 2–5 years, a fine of 200,000–500,000 Baht, or both.”


5. Common scam tactics used by scammers

5. Common scam tactics used by scammers


These days, scammers employ a variety of tricks and channels, changing their methods daily to stay ahead of the public. Here, we summarize 5 common scams frequently used by call center gangs, as outlined by the Bank of Thailand (BOT):

1. Bank account frozen / Credit card debt

“Your account has been frozen. Please call back.” This is a classic line often used by scammers to trick people. It creates a sense of panic, making it easier to manipulate the victim into transferring money quickly.


2. Bank account linked to drug trafficking or money laundering

Scammers trick victims by obtaining account information and discovering large sums of money in the account. They then deceive the victims into transferring all the funds for the bank to verify.


3. Tax refunds

This excuse is frequently used during tax filing and refund periods. Fraudsters pose as officials from the Revenue Department, claim the victim is entitled to a refund, and trick them into verifying details at an ATM, ultimately leading to a transfer.


4. Winning a grand prize / Requesting personal information

These tricks usually come together as a pair. Scammers deceive victims into paying tax fees for the prize and request personal information for fraudulent use.


5. Mistaken money transfer

Scammers claim to have transferred money to the victim’s account by mistake and ask for it to be returned. Upon checking, the victim sees a deposit, but the funds often come from another scam victim. The fraudsters use the account as a temporary holding place before asking for the money to be transferred to another account.


6. Bank contact numbers for freezing mule accounts


If you fall victim to scammers and need to freeze the account you transferred money to, you can contact the respective banks using the numbers below.


  • KASIKORNBANK: 0-2888-8888 ext. 1
  • Krungthai Bank: 0-2111-1111 ext. 108
  • Bank of Ayudhya: 1572 ext. 5
  • Bangkok Bank: 1333 or 0-2645-5555 ext. * 3
  • Siam Commercial Bank: 0-2777-7575
  • TMBThanachart Bank: 1428 ext. 03
  • Government Savings Bank: 1115 ext. 6
  • CIMB Thai Bank: 0-2626-7777 ext. 00
  • Thai Credit Bank: 0-2697-5454
  • Land and Houses Bank: 0-2459-0000 ext. 8
  • Government Housing Bank: 0-2645-9000 ext. 33
  • Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives: 0-2555-0555 ext. *3
  • UOB Bank: 0-2344-9555
  • Citi Bank: 0-2344-9555
  • Kiatnakin Phatra Bank: 0-2165-5555 ext. 6
  • Tisco Bank: 0-2633-6000 ext. * 7


Scammers are notorious for their countless ways of deceiving others. The best way to protect yourself is to stay informed and take precautions to safeguard your assets. For example, follow the methods we’ve suggested. Most importantly, if you receive strange phone calls or SMS messages, always verify them first to avoid falling victim to scams.


Sources: Retrieved on 07/05/24

🔖Royal Thai Police

🔖Thai Bankers’ Association

🔖Fillgoods

🔖Tidlor

🔖Thairath

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