Cyber police warn of scams targeting retirees, reporting losses soaring to 3.15 billion baht from a total damage exceeding 11.039 billion baht. The top four scams are: 1) investment fraud, 2) phone threats impersonating officials, 3) fake part-time jobs, and 4) fake prize money transfer requests.
On 2 Sep 2026 at the Technology Crime Suppression Division headquarters (TCSD) in Muang Thong Thani, Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province, Police Colonel Kriangkrai Putthaisong, director of the Cyber Support Group, revealed that online complaint data from 1 Jan to 31 Aug 2026 showed about 221,626 reports from citizens of all ages, with total losses exceeding 11.039 billion baht. Filtering to victims aged 60 and above, there were 17,895 reports, about 8.07% of the total.
These elderly victims suffered total losses of 3,152,075,191.13 baht (approximately 3.15 billion baht), representing 28.55% of the total damages. This highlights that although cases involving seniors account for about 8% of reports, the financial losses comprise nearly 30% of total damages.
This is a crucial starting point to understand online threats facing seniors. The question is not only whether elderly people are more easily deceived, but why scammers manage to convince them to transfer hundreds of thousands or even millions of baht, sometimes emptying their lifelong savings.
Police Colonel Kriangkrai further explained that ranking scams by losses among seniors, the most common is 1) investment fraud via computer systems. These scams usually do not ask for large sums immediately but start by inviting victims to "try" opening investment accounts, with coaches, instructors, assistants, LINE chat rooms, other members showing profits, and websites displaying investment balances to entice.
2) Phone threats designed to instill fear and trick victims into transferring money. These scams rely more on fear than greed, with criminals impersonating police, postal workers, mobile carriers, banks, or government officials. They cite unverifiable claims such as illegal parcels, money laundering accounts, unauthorized SIM cards in the victim's name, arrest warrants, or illicit money flowing through accounts. They keep victims on the line as long as possible, forbidding them from hanging up or telling family, then proceed to "verify funds" or "prove innocence."
3) Fake part-time jobs. These often start with simple tasks like liking posts, reviewing products, or completing missions. Initially, victims receive real payments to build trust. Later, tasks become costlier, requiring deposits or continuous work before withdrawals are allowed. Victims don’t feel they are transferring money to scammers but believe they are completing work to reclaim their own funds.
4) Scams asking victims to transfer money to receive prizes or other benefits. These involve various schemes including aid money, utility bill refunds, insurance, prizes, pensions, or impersonating government agencies.
Police Colonel Kriangkrai warned the public, especially seniors, government officials, state enterprise employees, or those retiring in September who will receive large pension payouts or lifetime savings, to be extra cautious of scammers. If contacted by strangers claiming to be police, anti-money laundering officials, banks, postal workers, mobile carriers, or government agencies accusing them of involvement with mule accounts, money laundering, drugs, illegal parcels, arrest warrants, or illegal SIM cards,
and then asked to add LINE contacts, do video calls, or transfer money to verify innocence, people should immediately hang up. Then contact family or close ones to verify the situation. To verify agencies, people should independently find official phone numbers instead of calling back suspicious numbers. The key phrase seniors should remember is: "Police can investigate money but never ask citizens to transfer money for verification."