Phone scams fuel fear of unknown calls in Bangkok

As many as 40% of people in Bangkok are reluctant to answer phone calls from unfamiliar numbers, fearing they may fall victim to scammers, according to a Ban Somdet Poll.

The findings are based on an opinion survey conducted by Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University between January 6 and 9.

A total of 1,121 Bangkok residents were interviewed about their concerns amid widespread scam operations and the increasingly sophisticated tactics used to deceive victims, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Most respondents admitted they had received phone calls from strangers or suspicious SMS text messages in the past three months.

The largest group, accounting for 35.1%, said they received one or two suspicious calls or messages a couple of times per month. Another 23.6% reported receiving one to three suspicious calls or messages each week.

Meanwhile, 10.9% said they had received similar calls or messages three to four times per month. Those who had not received any suspicious calls or messages accounted for 10.7% of respondents, while 9% said they received such calls or messages four to six times per week.

Impersonation of government officials was the most common scam tactic, reported by 58.9% of respondents. This was followed by scammers posing as postal or delivery service employees, cited by 51.1%.

Investment scams involving stocks or cryptocurrency accounted for 41.7% of reported cases, followed closely by romance scams at 40.1%.

AI-generated scams were cited by 38.6% of respondents, while fake online lending services accounted for 37.6%.

A majority of respondents, or 62.4%, said they or their family members had encountered scammers or their tactics but had not been deceived. Nearly one-third, or 30.4%, said they were almost duped, while 7.2% admitted they had lost money to scam gangs.

The poll also found that fear of answering calls from unfamiliar numbers remains widespread, with 40.1% of respondents saying they are afraid to do so. Another 27.8% said scam activities had not affected them.

However, the impact on mental well-being was notable. About 18.5% of respondents said they had experienced stress or mental health problems after being intimidated or harassed by scammers, while 13.6% said they are now too afraid to conduct online transactions.

In terms of government action, 40.6% of respondents said they were moderately satisfied with the authorities’ response to the scam problem and expect the new administration to address the issue more earnestly.

When asked about solutions, 36.7% called for harsher penalties for scammers. Another 30.3% urged the government to develop AI technology to combat scam operations more effectively, while 20.6% wanted closer cooperation with Myanmar and Cambodia to crack down on call centres operating there.

In addition, 12.4% of respondents said commercial banks and mobile phone service providers should be held more accountable by compensating victims of scams.