As the digital world advances and makes our lives more convenient, it has also increasingly become a prime "hunting ground" for criminals who quickly adapt to new technologies. Looking back at Thailand's financial losses over recent years, these threats are closer to us than we might think.
Recent data from SCB EIC (Siam Commercial Bank) reflect ongoing concerns about scammers in Thailand. Although reported cases decreased in 2026 compared to the previous year, the financial damage remains in the billions of baht, and scam methods are becoming more closely tied to everyday life for Thais.
In just the first seven months of 2026 (January to July), the Online Fraud Prevention Center reported over 190,000 cases—an average of 902 daily—with losses exceeding 9.3 billion baht. These figures confirm that despite a decline in daily case numbers, the financial damage remains alarming and scammers are closer to Thais than we realize.
An important point is that scammers no longer use the same old methods to reach victims. As activities like shopping, working, dealing with government services, investing, and daily life shift online, these spaces have become easier channels for criminals to target people.
The SCB EIC Consumer Survey titled “When Life Goes Digital” shows that one in four Thais has fallen victim and suffered losses from scammers. The most reported scams are online shopping frauds, which account for 73% of cases, followed by employment scams at 9%, and identity impersonation at 7%.
Simply put, as Thais become accustomed to ordering goods via mobile phones, online shopping has become one of the main points where scammers infiltrate—from fake shops and misrepresented products to payment without delivery, and even building online credibility to close sales.
What is more worrying than being "tricked" is that once money is lost, it is not easily recovered. SCB EIC found that in many cases, more than half of victims have not yet received resolution or compensation, especially in cases of non-delivery of online purchases and fraudulent money transfers.
Although investment scams accounted for only 3% of reported cases in the first seven months of this year, compared to 73% for online shopping fraud, they cause severe financial damage because they often lure victims with promises of high and seemingly easy returns.
The scam often begins with advertisements, pages, or seemingly trustworthy individuals who invite victims to investment platforms, creating an illusion of real returns. Some victims do not initially realize they are being scammed but believe they are profiting from investments, only to lose their money eventually.
This is a major challenge for the digital economy, where Thais shop via mobile, conduct business through social media, have bank accounts and cards linked to platforms, and increasingly use personal data for identity verification. Every convenience brings new "channels" for scammers to access consumers.
SCB EIC notes that consumers tend to protect themselves by preferring to buy from major e-commerce platforms or official brand channels, perceived as safer. When buying from smaller sellers, consumers increasingly verify store information, sales history, reviews, and contact methods.
However, the responsibility does not rest solely on consumers. Online platforms must enhance merchant screening, use technology to detect suspicious behavior, and create buyer protection systems. Meanwhile, the government must ensure rapid data integration among banks, platforms, and agencies to intercept funds before they are withdrawn or transferred, because in the world of scammers, time after the incident often means money is harder to recover.
Source: SCB EIC
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