Scam gangs looking to cash in on public interest in the government’s digital wallet programme are sending SMS links with a photo of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to lure victims, authorities have warned.
Many people in Roi Et province have already fallen victim to the trick, government spokesman Chai Watcharonke said on Friday.
The message they received contained a link that purported to take them to a site where they could check their registration status for the 10,000-baht handout.
But clicking on the link rendered their mobile phones useless and many saw their savings vanish, said Mr Chai.
The government warned the public not to click on any URLs attached to SMS messages as it does not have a policy of issuing such notifications to people’s phones, he said.
The government-developed Tang Rat app, an all-in-one portal that offers access to dozens of services, will be used for verification for the programme, Mr Chai added.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said on Thursday that the Tang Rat app was ready to handle some advance registration, with official registration details expected to be announced by the end of this month.