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The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC)’s recently released data showed Facebook was the leading platform for scams, accounting for more than 61% of all cases, according to The Nation.

The scams included fake pages and accounts, fraudulent investment advertisements, schemes involving the purchase and sale of goods, and the impersonation of individuals or organizations.

LINE reported fewer cases than Facebook, but the losses were at a comparable level.

The figures demonstrate that the problem is not limited to a single platform but spans an interconnected digital ecosystem encompassing advertising, conversations, solicitations and money transfers.

As losses have mounted, the TCC and affected consumers have taken legal action against online platforms and financial institutions in cases where victims were tricked into investing through online channels.

The claims against financial institutions include alleged breaches of service contracts, breaches of deposit contracts and violations of consumer rights.

The legal action seeks not only compensation for the initial group of 10 victims but also to address the broader issue of how much responsibility digital platforms and service providers should bear for consumer safety.

Saree Aongsomwang, secretary-general of the Thailand Consumers Council, said the court had postponed a hearing after some defendants requested additional time to submit their statements of defense.

Others had exercised their legal right to appeal on jurisdictional grounds, arguing that the case did not constitute a consumer case.

The TCC said in June that it would sue Meta’s Facebook for allegedly allowing scammers to use the platform to defraud users through adverts ‌and for failing to protect consumers, Reuters reported.

Between 2024 and 2026, the council recorded 3,793 complaints linked to Facebook, including cases where users did not receive purchased goods, alleged fake investment schemes, impersonation using ‌victims’ ⁠names and photos and pages created to mislead buyers.

There are ⁠about 51 million Facebook users in Thailand, according to the council.

Boonyuen Siritham, president of the TCC, said the lawsuit sought to establish a precedent for protecting consumer rights rather than generate publicity or improve the organization’s reputation.

A major challenge is that many consumers cannot determine whether advertisements, messages or accounts on a platform are legitimate or operated by scammers. At the same time, platforms remain a key channel through which scammers can reach large numbers of victims.

The TCC therefore reaffirmed that it would pursue the case fully to push service providers to accept accountability and establish lasting safeguards for consumer protection.

Scams do not stop at the creation of fake pages or accounts. Mule accounts are another critical tool that allows victims’ money to be transferred quickly.

Chaichanok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, said a key measure was a draft notification establishing criteria for listing ‘mule accounts of every colour’.

The measure was being developed through cooperation between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the Bank of Thailand, the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the Thai Bankers’ Association.

The central element of the plan is real-time data sharing among banks. If a person is identified as being connected to fraudulent financial flows at one bank, the system will be able to immediately suspend that person’s accounts at every bank.