How to fool: send a fake SMS to register for the program We Travel Together Phase 5

Trick: Attach a link to add friends to a fake Line account. Deception to install applications to intercept important information

Channel: Short Message Service (SMS), LINE, Mobile Phone

Cyber Police warns of scammers, sending fake SMS to register for the program We Travel Together Phase 5, pretending to be a government official build credibility Before sending the victim a link to download a fake app, fooling them to set a 6-digit password repeatedly. Then ask for permission to control the device. hope to use the password to access the app Deceived Bank Money Transfer

Bangkok 1 April 2023 – Pol. Col. Krishna Phatthanacharoen, spokesman of the Technology Crime Investigation Bureau (TCIS) publicizes a warning about fraudsters pretending to be an agency. state Send short messages (SMS) to the public to deceive them into clicking on the registration link to receive the rights to the We Travel Together Phase 5 project.

Attach a link to add fake LINE friends via SMS Claiming to be a credibility building officer

As it appears on social media, many cases of citizens receiving SMS from unknown phone numbers. Notify me that “We travel together project Phase 5, ready to register for privileges, starting from 7 March – 30 April 2023” with a suspicious link attached to the message. If you click on the link, you will be asked to add friends through the fake LINE application. “We Travel Together Project Phase 5” The scammers claim to be officials and ask for general information of the victim, such as whether they have registered before or not. Notify registration conditions and informing of various discount privileges, which are copied from the real project website to build credibility

tricked into downloading the app Request permission to control the device

Then the scammer will send the victim a link to install the fake We Travel Together project application. permission to install unknown applications is requested (potentially dangerous files or file extension . APK), enter personal information. The trick is to set a 6-digit password multiple times in the hope that the victim will enter the same password as the access password. or perform financial transactions of various banking applications on mobile phones Including requesting permission to control the device. or mobile phone In this step If the victim is unable to do so on their own Criminals will pretend to have good intentions and teach their victims that what to do Or in some cases, will call through LINE to tell how to do it. Even when criminals have the right to control the device or mobile phone. will lock the mobile phone screen make it as if it freezes and often displays a message that “In the process of checking Do not use the mobile phone.” At that moment, the crooks will bring the password that the victim has previously set or entered into the banking application. to transfer money to the pending horse account

A spokesman for the AAC said that deception in such a form Criminals will change the name of the agency according to the date and time. and the situation at that time to create stories to deceive the public Whether it is obtaining various rights, tricking to update information Or how to deceive the victim to click on the link to install a fake application from an impersonating agency. This appears in many cases such as the Revenue Department, Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Department of Lands, Provincial Electricity Authority, Waterworks Authority, Thai Lion Air, Thai Life Insurance Company, Ministry of Commerce. and various state projects based on the ignorance of the public together with using the symbol of that agency to build credibility. be careful always sober Do not click links attached to SMS or install untrusted applications from other people. Be aware of the scams of scammers Including a warning to close people or notify the relevant departments to help inspect to reduce being a victim of crooks

Source: Thai News Agency