The Thai government is warning people not to be caught out by scammers posing as officials from the Revenue Department. According to a report from the National News Bureau of Thailand, scammers have been calling people and attempting to trick them into disclosing their personal information.
Ratchada Thanadirek, a deputy government spokesperson, says a number of complaints have been received from people who’ve been contacted in this way.
The complainants were either told the call was about a tax refund or the caller would make an allegation of tax debt. People were then sent links to click on or were asked to provide OTP codes so the scammers could access their personal data, claiming it was in order to fix the issue.
The government says it does not use the LINE app to contact people or to carry out tax-related transactions, whether that’s issuing refunds or claiming tax debts. The public has been warned not to download any applications, click on any links, or engage in financial transactions with accounts bearing personal names.
According to Ratchada, people should not believe anyone who claims to be from the Revenue Department or who sends them a text message asking them to pay their taxes.
Between January 1 and March 31, people will need to file their income tax returns for the 2022 tax year and can upload the relevant documentation at the official government website.
Anyone who receives a notification letter and has questions should contact Revenue Department officials at the phone number provided on the letter or by calling the 1161 hotline.
SOURCE: National News Bureau of Thailand