The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) in Thailand is taking steps to shutdown Facebook. This comes in response to the proliferation of deceptive ads on the platform, particularly those associated with cryptocurrency and investment scams.
The MDES has emphasized that around 200,000 people have been ensnared by these misleading ads. Additionally, they’ve noted that scammers are using various tactics to deceive people and empty their bank accounts. Consequently, the MDES is expected to issue the shutdown order by the end of August.
These fraudsters continually adapt their tactics, luring users into digital token trading and forex activities via apps or websites. Users are enticed to invest in schemes like crypto assets, high-interest lending, precious metal stocks, auctions, and equities.
Thailand’s Ministry Takes Strong Action to Shutdown Facebook
The ministry stressed that these online scammers often create fake profiles and exploit celebrity images to seem trustworthy. They target unsuspecting victims within investment-focused online communities, using false identities and promising daily returns as high as 30%.
The MDES has officially conveyed its concerns to Meta, formerly known as Facebook, using a formal letter. They have urged the company to implement corrective actions to tackle this problem.
Simultaneously, the ministry is actively collecting more evidence against the 5,301 fraudulent ads that have been identified. As a result, by month-end, they aim to ask the court to shut down Facebook within a week.
Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn, the Minister of Digital Economy and Society, said:
DES is in the process of compiling evidence from offenders on the Facebook platform to send the court to close Facebook by the end of this month and ask the court to order the closure of the Facebook region within 7 days by Facebook’s offense..
The minister emphasized that, if Facebook intends to conduct business within Thailand, it is imperative for the company to demonstrate its commitment to the well-being of Thai society.