Bangkok: Cyber police have announced a worrying shift in the targets of call center scams, with university students now in the crosshairs of these criminal activities. According to Thai News Agency, this change marks a departure from the previous focus on retired elderly individuals, with scammers banking on the likelihood that students are less informed about such deceptions.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Chachapandakarn Klaiklung, Deputy Commander of the Technology Crime Investigation Bureau, has highlighted the sophisticated tactics used by these call center gangs. The scammers typically start by deceiving students into believing that their personal information has been used in illegal activities. The fraudulent calls are then escalated to a fake police officer who claims to be investigating a money laundering case, presenting false evidence to intimidate the victim.

The students are kept on video calls, where they are instructed not to hang up or disclose the situation to anyone. To further the scam, the victims are coerced into contacting their parents to ask for money under false pretenses, such as needing funds for a scholarship or a visa. Once the money is transferred, it is quickly moved to a middleman's account, and the victim is directed to withdraw cash and hand it over.

The Deputy Commander of the Cyber Police advises the public to be vigilant, noting that genuine police procedures do not involve video calls or money transfers for verification. He urges potential victims to hang up immediately and report the incident using the AOC hotline at 1441.

Investigations have revealed a growing number of Vietnamese nationals involved in these scams, often working as accountants and couriers for Chinese-led networks. Recent operations have successfully dismantled several Vietnamese-run call center scams, shedding light on the international dimension of these criminal activities.