BANGKOK THAILAND - Media OutReach^[1] - 17 February 2020 - Fake account and famous IT store brands such as iStore, Taradphone are being used by scammers to lure unsuspecting online shoppers into fake e-stores, according to a new finding by Taradphone.

Dr. Chaiyapong AkkarakitjindaManaging Director, Taradphone, Thailand 

Scammers frequently used logo and imagery from famous stores or pictures of good-looking people to defraud online shoppers that they are buying phones from reputable sources, when in reality they might receive a counterfeit item or nothing.

Dr. Chaiyapong Akkarakitjinda, Managing Director of Taradphone, Thailand largest online-based used mobile stores, revealed that attractive discount and low instalment on hi-end used smartphone are common strategies online scammers prey on victims. 

"There are increasing number of victims, which cause approximately 2.5 million SGD lost each year. Thai polices are working hard on this, but still."

Not only hi-end used smartphone such as iPhone 11 and Samsung Galaxy 9, but also luxury items are popular for online scammers to fool victims. 

"There are numbers of website developed to be online tools for shoppers to check and to notify about blacklisted sellers. The growth of these website is on the rise, but not that much."

However, this is like a beacon of hope that consumers help each other fighting cyber crime by actively exposing ill-intent sellers.

Nevertheless, prevention is the best defence, added Dr. Chaiyapong. "Before making any purchase or submitting to a long-term contract, check for seller good tracking records, and verification information regarding their identity and services. Consumers should be well-advised not to conclusively rely on product reviews, because they can be easily made up without any proof by the cyber criminals."

References

1. ^{^} Media OutReach (www.media-outreach.com)