Thailand Scams and How to Report Them: Numbers and Steps

If you were scammed and lost money online or by phone, call 1441 and press 1, then meet the investigator at the police station within 7 days. For a crime against a tourist, call the Tourist Police on 1155. Trafficking or kidnapping-style threats go to 1599, open 24 hours.

If you have just been scammed, call first and read later: 1441 for online or phone scams where money was lost, 1155 for a crime against a tourist. The right number depends on the type of scam, so start with the table.

Which number to call

The Royal Thai Police number 191 is for reporting an incident to police officers. The scam centre works through the hotline 1441 only.

The Thailand Tourist Police app is a free download for requesting immediate assistance, translation services and tourism information, and it works for tourists without a Thai SIM card. The Tourist Police page has more.

If you were scammed online

Call 1441. The centre offers no contact through social media or other channels, so ignore anyone who claims otherwise. Press 1 to report and request the suspension of suspicious accounts.

Before you dial, have the victim’s full name and national ID number, the victim’s bank name, account number and the date and time of the transaction, and the scammer’s bank name and account number. A short summary of the timeline and the platform the scammer used helps. If the wait is long, do not hang up and redial, because that puts you at the end of the queue.

After you call, this happens.

1. Staff forward the call to the victim’s bank for KYC verification.
2. The details go to the Thaipoliceonline system, which generates a Police Case ID.
3. You choose the police station, and an SMS follows within 24 hours.
4. Even after the online report, you are required by law to meet an investigator at the designated police station within 7 days.

If the case is non-compliant online shopping, staff recommend the 1212 hotline instead.

Gem and jewellery scams

Street touts who point to nearby gem shops with deals that will make you rich are almost always a scam. Be wary of strangers posing as government representatives and of drivers promising a special one-day sale, and treat a price far below the set price as a warning sign.

Before you buy, look for the Jewel Fest Club (JFC) logo. Ask for a detailed receipt listing the type of stone, colour, weight, size, cut and quality. For larger pieces, ask for a recent laboratory report from GIT or AIGS.

Passports, drinks and job offers

Do not hand over your passport as a guarantee to a motorcycle or jet-ski rental business, because it may be held against claimed damage. Rent jet skis or scooters only from a reputable company, and document any prior damage before you ride.

Drink spiking happens in tourist areas across Thailand, so never leave a drink unattended or accept one from a stranger. Drinks containing methanol have caused deaths and serious illness, and you cannot tell by taste or smell. ATM skimming has occurred, so use an ATM inside a bank and protect your PIN.

Job offers that seem too good to be true can be scams, and people have been illegally transported to neighbouring countries on the promise of high-paying jobs. Give a tuk-tuk or taxi driver exact instructions and decline a sight-seeing route for a few extra baht, because it may end at a gem store.

Phone threats and virtual kidnapping

Be cautious of unsolicited calls or messages claiming to be from officials. The warning signs are threats, money demands, and instructions to isolate from family or travel alone. If it happens, pause, verify directly with family members or relevant authorities, and report it immediately. The trafficking and coercion hotline is 1599, open 24 hours.

After a scam

Report any loss of money, passport or valuables to the local police as soon as possible, and ask for a statement or crime report you may need for an insurance claim. In most countries you must report a crime to the police before you leave if you want it investigated. A British passport holder must report a lost or stolen passport immediately.

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Not confirmed: Taxi meter refusal, bar-bill scams and fake closures: no official description with fine amounts was read, so none are listed.

General information checked against the sources listed above. Prices, opening hours and other details change; confirm them with the provider before you act. See how guides are checked.

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