Thai Consumer Council Sues Meta, LINE for Aiding Scams, Seeks Over 200M Baht in Damages

(CNA reporter Li Zongxian, Bangkok, 9th) The Consumer Council of Thailand, representing 10 fraud victims, filed a civil lawsuit yesterday against multinational technology platform operators such as LINE, Meta, and Apple Inc., along with several financial institutions. The suit alleges they failed to fulfill their supervisory responsibilities, allowing scam syndicates to conduct online fraud through their platforms, and seeks 230 million baht (approximately NT$220 million) in compensation.

The Bangkok Post reported today that Nannapatsorn Techpanyaphipat, the legal representative for the Thai Consumer Council on the case, stated in an interview that the defendants are divided into multinational tech platforms like Meta, LINE, and Apple, and financial institutions. She emphasized that all these corporations should be held responsible for their supervisory negligence.

The Thai Consumer Council is seeking 230 million baht from these companies on behalf of 10 fraud victims. According to reports, this legal action targets the parent companies rather than their Thai branches, as the local branches only have auxiliary responsibilities.

Nannapatsorn said, "The scam syndicates could not have succeeded if not for the fraudulent ads on Facebook, LINE providing a communication channel, the scam app being distributed through Apple's platform, and various commercial banks serving as fund transfer services."

Thai PBS, citing the complaint, reported that the scam syndicate targeted people interested in learning stock investment to earn extra income. They posted false advertisements on Facebook, using the names and photos of influencers to lure people in with stock market courses.

Subsequently, victims were added to a LINE group with over 328 members, where real stock trading activities were shared to build credibility and create the illusion of a professional investment community.

When the time was right, the syndicate would further induce victims to download an application via the App Store or Google Play, guiding them to open investment accounts with legitimate brokerage firms. After gaining the victims' trust, the syndicate would begin its fraudulent operations, and the victims' investment funds would be transferred to bank accounts controlled by the scammers.

With online fraud becoming rampant in Thailand in recent years, the Consumer Council hopes this action will protect innocent citizens. Whether this lawsuit will gain the court's support is being closely watched.

The Thai Civil Court is expected to convene a meeting with the relevant parties on August 3. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150609