Amlo number hijacked by telephone scam gang

[Admin]

Amlo number hijacked by telephone scam gang
Published: 27/01/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News
 
Computer hackers are using the Anti-Money Laundering Office phone number in a scam to cheat people out of their money - and the agency is demanding that TOT Plc provide it with better protection.

Amlo acting secretary-general Seehanart Prayoonrat said people had complained to the agency that they had been cheated by a criminal gang using his office's telephone number.

Most of those cheated said they had received a telephone call from gang members posing as Amlo officials investigating crimes.

The gang fooled them into believing they were being prosecuted for a crime and they had to transfer money to Amlo to escape prosecution.

The victims were asked to give their identity card and bank account numbers. The phone lines were then connected to a "policeman" who told the victims to transfer the money at an ATM.

Mr Seehanart said many people had called Amlo on its telephone number - 02-219-3600 - to verify the information but their calls were redirected to gang members posing as agency officials who supported the initial call. The breach at Amlo has raised fears of telephone numbers at other state agencies not being protected. Mr Seehanart said he was worried national security would be at risk if nothing was done to correct the problem.

[boloa]

I would assume the bank with refund all the money people lost  !!!!!!!!

But doesn't very one know banks don't behave like this???

[Admin]

Call Centre Fraud Gangs Linked To The Same Network: AMLO

Callcentre fraud gangs linked: AMLO
By The Nation
2011-02-11

The Anti Money Laundering Office (AMLO) believes most callcentre gangs fraudulently luring people to make ATM money transfers may belong to the same network.

AMLO found several transactions were made to a small number of accounts - mostly based in Phatthalung, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya and Chon Buri.

The office will meet with 38 financial institutions next week to discuss countermeasures, including stalling international money transfers for 10 minutes, AMLO chief Pol Colonel Seehanat Prayoonrat said yesterday.

Meanwhile, Department of Special Investigation (DSI) official Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul said that next week the National Telecommunication Commission of Thailand would issue a requirement that phone service providers show a warning message to users who receive calls made via Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP).

He said call centre gangs kept changing strategies to dupe people. They have graduated from using government officers' names to claiming to be bank officials and offering loans to people with financial problems. In order to receive the loans, victims are told they must make an ATM transaction.