Law
New Call Center Scam Targets Parents of University Freshmen
A new fraudulent scheme involving impersonation of university professors has resulted in a 2.6 million baht loss for a student's family.
According to a report by Matichon Online on August 17, 2026, a new wave of call center scams is targeting the parents of first-year university students in Thailand. The perpetrators are reportedly impersonating university professors to gain the trust of victims.
In a recent case highlighted by the source, scammers contacted parents claiming that their child had been selected for a prestigious scholarship to study abroad. Under the guise of processing this opportunity, the fraudsters successfully deceived the family into transferring a total of 2.6 million baht.
For residents and expatriates in Thailand, this incident serves as a reminder of the sophisticated nature of local telephone fraud. Scammers often leverage institutional authority—such as academic or government titles—to create a sense of urgency and legitimacy.
While this specific case has been reported to authorities, the full extent of this particular scam operation remains under investigation. Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution when receiving unsolicited calls regarding financial transactions or scholarship opportunities, especially those requiring immediate fund transfers. Always verify the identity of callers by contacting the relevant university department directly through official, publicly listed channels rather than information provided by the caller.