When a Scam Feels Real: Helping People Recognize Online Fraud
An online scam does not always look suspicious at first. It might begin with a parcel notification, a message from a familiar-looking account, a promise of guaranteed investment returns, or a phone call designed to create fear and urgency. Before the workshop, nearly six in ten survey respondents said they had been scammed or narrowly avoided one—showing how close these threats can be to everyday life.
On 26 November 2025, Pratthanadee Foundation held an interactive online workshop for employees at Western Digital Thailand’s Bang Pa-In and Prachinburi sites. Led by cybercrime expert Assoc. Prof. Pol. Lt. Col. Dr. Krisanaphong Poothrakul, Understanding Online Scams: Love, Lies, Money, and Investment Fraud used real examples and practical guidance to help participants recognize common tactics and make safer decisions online.
📱 The Warning Signs Can Hide in Everyday Messages
Participants identified a range of scams they had encountered, including call-center scams, fake LINE accounts, fraudulent online loans, fake parcel notifications, cryptocurrency investment schemes, and people impersonating police officers.
The workshop explored the warning signs that can connect these different schemes: pressure to transfer money quickly, requests for personal information or one-time passwords, suspicious accounts, and offers that seem too good to be true. Many participants already recognized urgency as a red flag, but the session also surfaced a less familiar risk: sharing an OTP. The expert explained why OTPs must be kept private and discussed ways to protect accounts and devices.
🧠 What the Quiz Revealed
A 12-question interactive quiz invited participants to assess realistic scam scenarios before discussing their answers with the expert. The results showed strong understanding of several common tactics: 94% recognized typical call-center scam scripts, 93% understood the legal risks of using or lending a “mule account,” and 82% identified emotional manipulation as a key feature of romance scams. Recognizing guaranteed profits as a major investment warning sign proved more challenging, with 71% answering correctly.
The quiz also revealed a gap in knowing where to report online fraud. Some participants were unsure which channels to contact. The expert introduced relevant hotlines, online reporting options, and agencies that can assist. One participant reflected: “I just found out about the online hotline.”
📝 From Awareness to Safer Action
When asked what to do after realizing they had been scammed, 98% chose the right first steps: collect evidence and notify the bank promptly. In the post-workshop survey, 90% reported increased awareness of online scams, 92% felt more confident protecting themselves, and 87% said they better understood where to seek help or report an incident. The interactive activities also supported learning, with 91% saying they helped improve understanding.
Participants saw value in sharing these lessons beyond the workshop. One wrote, “It’s knowledge I can share with my family.” In total, 93% of respondents felt prepared to pass what they had learned on to others.
This second collaboration with Western Digital Thailand brought practical digital safety learning to employees and helped equip them to protect themselves and share useful guidance with people around them.