Police in Thailand are intensifying their efforts on tracking down criminals who run scam call centers and SMS smartphone scams. Cyber criminals send fake SMS messages to trick victims into replying back with their banking information. The widespread adoption of online payment methods in Thailand was highlighted by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society showing that the number of internet users in Thailand has leapt from about 18 million in 2009 to more than 50 million in 2020. More than one in five activities carried out on the internet involves a financial transaction of some kind. In early December, 29 Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) customers received an SMS after they contacted its call centre. The SMS told them to send back their 13-digit ID number and a one-time password (OTP). The scammers then reportedly used the ID number and OTP to sign up to a mobile banking app which they used to transfer funds from the victims’ accounts. The Money Trap Siam Commercial Bank warns customers to beware of scammers who use fake websites or SMS. SCB is the only bank that allows the use of its mobile app on more than one device and denied any involvement or…