A total of 265 missing children were reported, comprising 96 boys and 169 girls, with 47 individuals still unaccounted for.
Despite growing up in a digital world and being technologically proficient, children remain prime targets for modern scammers due to a lack of experience and the maturity required for fact-checking. When confronted with threats or fabricated scenarios designed to incite fear, they become easily susceptible to deception. Scammers frequently impersonate government officials, particularly “police officers,” accusing a child of involvement in a legal case. They then intimidate the child into keeping the matter secret from their parents while demanding they follow specific instructions. Many children, believing they have committed an actual offense, do not dare to inform their parents or those close to them for fear of being scolded or reprimanded, thereby creating an ideal opportunity for criminals.
Furthermore, “money” serves as an easy trap to lure Thai children. Numerous online fraud cases involving Thai children and youths range from employment scams, where victims are typically students seeking supplementary income or recent graduates. Some children, driven by the desire to earn extra money or find employment, search for jobs on the Internet and encounter invitations promising high pay. They then inquire via inbox, often unaware that this is a “pitfall.”
These scams are executed with the appearance of a legitimate “company,” as they are designed specifically to deceive. The various tactics employed by scammers are not superficial, and their success is no coincidence. Each day, they calculate total results to see how much each fraudulent pattern generated and determine the day’s profit. They operate continuously, and every Thai citizen has the potential to become a victim.
What can be done to prevent “children” from falling victim to scammers?
Currently, numerous agencies and organizations are actively educating and alerting the public via websites and social media platforms. For example, “Thai PBS” – through its main website, the Thai PBS Verify page, The Visual by Thai PBS and the “People’s Station” (Stannee Prachachon) program – constantly produces content to ensure Thai citizens remain one step ahead of scammers.
Beyond awareness, it is recommended that Thailand strengthen its protective systems and integrate “Scam Awareness” into the formal school curriculum. This should cover online threats, financial fraud, and protocols for handling intimidation, equipping children with the skills to question, verify and seek help in time. Meanwhile, financial institutions should consider enhancing risk prevention systems for youth accounts, such as parental notification systems or “cool-off” mechanisms for high-risk transactions. Furthermore, a dedicated compensation fund for victims of online fraud should be established to provide necessary assistance.
Internationally, several countries have already announced plans to restrict social media access for children and adolescents. These include Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Malaysia, Spain and the United Kingdom. The objective is to mitigate the pressure and risks that young users may encounter on social media platforms. If adapted and implemented in our country, such measures could serve as another effective method to significantly prevent “children” from falling victim to scammers.
