- Illustrative photo: The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK: Cyber police said it is working with authorities in the unnamed country to help combat the growing threat of such AI-driven scams
The chief of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) confirmed on Thursday (Jan 16) that the call-centre gang that tried to scam Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra into donating money is operating from a neighbouring country.
CCIB chief Pol Lt-General Trairong Phiwphan said his bureau currently coordinating with its counterpart in the unnamed country for further information.
On Wednesday, Paetongtarn said a gang had used AI to impersonate the voice of a leader from a neighbouring country, requesting a donation.
However, she became suspicious when she noticed that the bank account provided was located outside the country.
Trairong said similar tactics used by call-centre gangs had already resulted in several Thais being defrauded.
He also clarified that he did not believe that Paetongtarn’s personal data had been compromised, suggesting that the gang likely found the information online.
Trairong further shared that even a police commissioner, once known for his crime-busting capabilities, had fallen victim to a similar AI voice scam.
He said police and other government agencies are working hard to raise public awareness about such online scams, yet some people were still falling victim to them.
Earlier, ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn’s father, had proposed that Thailand block internet signals from neighbouring countries where these call centre gangs were operating.
Trairong said several government agencies had worked together to block the signals, but noted that the gangs are often able to bypass them using advanced technology.
He added that Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong is currently working with neighbouring countries to track down and suppress the call-centre gangs operating there. - The Nation/ANN
