Bangkok: MEA warns of scammers creating fake LINE accounts, “Mea Smart Life,” with over 300,000 followers, in an attempt to steal information and trick people into transferring money. The real deal is “MEA Connect,” with a green shield and over 2.4 million followers.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Khomkrit Sakrik, Director of Corporate Communications for the MEA (Metropolitan Electricity Authority), revealed that the MEA has detected a group of scammers creating fake LINE Official Accounts, intentionally using the name “Mea Smart Life” (which is the name of the MEA service application, but not the official LINE account name), and falsely using the MEA logo to create the impression that it is the main communication channel.
A recent investigation into their behavior revealed that this group of scammers is highly sophisticated, using fake accounts with an unusually high number of followers, up to 371,890 (updated on November 25, 2015), to build credibility. They use the “chat with the public first” method, claiming to be the “E-Service Department” to offer various services, such as notifying of electricity bill payments, requesting refunds, and changing meters.
Scammers will focus on “immediately requesting personal information,” such as your full name, phone number, and address/house number/electricity bill. This is considered a dangerous behavior that risks personal data privacy and could lead to fraudulent transfers of fees into personal accounts.
The Director of Corporate Communications of MEA emphasized important points to avoid confusion: the real MEA LINE Official Account is called “MEA Connect” only. The correct points to note are as follows:
Account Name: Must be “MEA Connect”
LINE ID: Must be meathailand (always has in front)
Symbol: Must have a “Green Shield” (Premium Account) in front of the account name, indicating that it is an official account certified by LINE Thailand.
Followers: The real one has over 2.4 million friends (many times more than the fake account).
MEA would like to remind and emphasize the “3 Don’ts” safety measures:
1. Never provide personal information (ID card number, phone number, address) through LINE chat messages.
2. Do not transfer money, service fees or any fees into an “individual account” (Mr./Mrs./Miss). MEA accepts payments through the corporate system only.
3. Do not be fooled by scammers’ hundreds of thousands of followers. Always take the “green shield” symbol as your main symbol.
If electricity users encounter the fake LINE account or have any questions, they can check the information and report any information to the MEA Call Center at 1130, 24 hours a day, or immediately notify the local police if damage occurs.