Cyber Police: Retirees Lose 3.15 Billion Baht to Scams

Thairath•Society•7d ago

Reader Briefing

Cyber police report that retirees account for 28.55% of total financial losses from online scams despite making up only 8.07% of reported cases.

•Total damages from online scams between January 1 and August 31, 2026, reached over 11,039 million baht.
•Victims aged 60 and above suffered losses totaling 3,152,075,191.13 baht.
•Investment scams are the top cause of loss for elderly victims.
•Pol. Col. Kriangkrai Putthaisong issued warnings on September 2, 2026, regarding scams targeting those receiving pensions.

•Between January 1 and August 31, 2026, the online reporting system received approximately 221,626 reports with total damages exceeding 11,039 million baht.
•Victims aged 60 and older filed 17,895 reports (8.07% of total), but their losses totaled 3,152,075,191.13 baht, representing 28.55% of total damages.
•The most frequent scams targeting the elderly are investment scams, telephone threats by impersonators, fake job offers for extra income, and reward scams.
•Investment scams use 'trial' accounts, coaches, and fake profit displays in LINE groups to motivate victims to transfer larger sums.
•Telephone scams use fear by impersonating officials from the police, post office, mobile providers, banks, or government agencies to force victims into 'proving innocence' via money transfers.
•Pol. Col. Kriangkrai Putthaisong warned civil servants and state enterprise employees retiring in September to be cautious of scammers targeting their pension funds.
•Pol. Col. Kriangkrai Putthaisong advised the public to hang up and contact family or verify agency phone numbers independently if contacted by strangers claiming to be officials.
•Pol. Col. Kriangkrai Putthaisong disclosed this information on September 2, 2026, at the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau in Muang Thong Thani.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Pol. Col. Kriangkrai Putthaisong

"Police can verify money, but police do not ask citizens to transfer money for verification."

ตำรวจตรวจสอบเงินได้ แต่ตำรวจไม่ให้ประชาชนโอนเงินมาให้ตรวจ

Pol. Col. Kriangkrai Putthaisong(พ.ต.อ.เกรียงไกร พุทไธสง)

Superintendent of the Cyber Support Group, Technology Crime Suppression Division.

Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau(กองบัญชาการตำรวจสืบสวนสอบสวนอาชญากรรมทางเทคโนโลยี)

The agency where Pol. Col. Kriangkrai Putthaisong revealed the statistics on online scams.

Technology Crime Suppression Division(บก.ตอท.)

The division containing the Cyber Support Group led by Pol. Col. Kriangkrai Putthaisong.

Anti-Money Laundering Office(ปปง.)

An agency that scammers may impersonate to deceive victims.

Muang Thong Thani, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi Province(เมืองทองธานี อ.ปากเกร็ด จ.นนทบุรี)

The location of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau.