Over 50 people have been detained on suspicion of operating call centre scams since a hotline was set up to accept complaints on Nov 15, according to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo).
The arrests followed efforts by Amlo, telecom service providers and financial institutions to help prevent people from falling prey to such scams, said Pol Maj Gen Romsit Weeriyasan, Amlo's acting secretary-general.
He said financial losses from such scams are estimated at 60 million baht this year alone and Amlo is stepping up its efforts to track down the stolen money so it can be returned to victims.
With the help of commercial banks, credit card providers and telecom operators, authorities can take prompt action to trace related financial transactions, he added.
The Amlo chief was speaking after he convened a meeting of senior police to ensure proper understanding about the money laundering aspect of these scams.
The meeting included Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan, the acting deputy chief of the Tourism Bureau, and Pol Maj Suriya Singhakamol, the deputy chief of the Department of Special Investigation.
After it receives a complaint, the call centre can place an order asking a commercial bank to freeze the money in any related bank account immediately so that transactions can be traced. Telecom providers help by monitoring phone numbers to track the location of the scammers.
"If people find some suspicious activity or fall victim to one of these scams they should call 1710 immediately," Pol Maj Gen Romsit said.
"The sooner the accounts involving the [suspicious] transactions are frozen, the greater the chance they can recover their money," he added.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet said the Royal Thai Police has instructed police stations nationwide to accept complaints about call centre scams and coordinate with Amlo over what action to take.
He said 107 arrest warrants have been issued and about 90 people have been apprehended.
The crackdown will continue and more stolen assets returned, he added.
Call centre scams are becoming increasingly complex, with Thais and foreigners both operating them.