Thai PBS Verify has identified a Facebook video post advertising the purchase of photographs in large quantities. The post attracted significant interest, with over 300 inquiries, 4,500 likes, and 68 shares. However, investigations revealed that this was a scam designed to lure victims into completing tasks before tricking them into transferring money. Many victims have since posted warnings about this scheme.
Source: Reels Facebook
Deceptive Advertisement Targeting Photography Enthusiasts
“If you are passionate about photography, we are looking for people interested in selling their photos. We accept various types of photos, including nature, animals, art, fashion, or even self-portraits. We welcome those who are ready, interested, and love photography. Special conditions: All types and sizes of photos are accepted. Evaluation will take 1-2 days. Only photos that you own will be accepted. No service fees are charged. We have a team available to offer consultation and guidance.”
This is the advertisement used by the Facebook page “Image Value” to lure victims into contacting them under false pretenses.
Verification Process
Upon investigation, it was found that the Facebook page “Image Value” introduced itself as a photography and video content creation page, established on January 25, 2021. The page contained posts promoting the purchase of photos from both mobile phones and professional cameras. The page included misleading advertisements.
Some of the false claims included:
- Photos must be at least 1080p resolution
- Images must be taken by the seller
- There are no service fees
- All submissions would be evaluated by a professional team
It also falsely stated that there would be no service fees and that the photos would be evaluated by a professional team.
Additionally, there were posts featuring video clips claiming to show reviews from individuals who had received payment.
However, upon using Google Lens to verify the image, it was found that the profile picture of the mentioned Facebook page was taken from the profile of a Chinese Instagram user.
Upon verifying the profile image with Google Lens, it was found to match the profile of a Facebook user.
Additionally, the business associated with this account was not involved in purchasing photographs but was instead a profile for selling tea products.
What are the consequences of this false information?
The false advertisement for purchasing photographs attracted attracted a significant amount of public interest,, with over 300 people sending attracted a significant amount of public interest, The post received more than 4,500 likes and was shared 68 times. Most of the individuals who reached out were genuinely interested in selling their photos and were asking about the process, unaware that the offer was part of a deceptive
However, upon investigation, it was found that the scheme was designed to trick individuals into completing tasks that would eventually lead them to transfer money. Many victims have come forward to post warnings.
The method used by the scammers to deceive victims was as follows:
- Victims were asked to send their photos to be sold on the page.
- They claimed that if the photos were selected, the victims would receive compensation.
- They persuaded victims to add them on LINE to perform marketing tasks while waiting for their photos to be reviewed. The victims were often enticed into doing tasks that were claimed to be simple, such as liking various product posts in exchange for compensation.
- Once the victims were deceived into participating in the tasks, the scammers asked them to pay money, claiming it was an investment. Initially, the victims would receive some money back.
- Later, they would be told they needed to invest more money in a group in order to withdraw funds.
- If the victims wanted to withdraw the money, they were told they had to pay a penalty, with the scammers claiming the victims didn’t follow the rules. They were also threatened with pressure from fake friends in the group (sock puppets).
It has also been reported that warnings about scammers who purchase photos in the same manner have been issued by the Thailand Anti-Fake News Center and the Central Investigation Bureau. You can refer to the official records here and here for more information.
Recommendations when encountering such false information:
✅ Always be cautious and aware that these people are scammers.
✅ Check for the Blue Tick next to the page name if it’s an official page. (reference link)
✅ Observe the number of followers compared to the number of likes on posts. For instance, this page had over 4,200 followers, but the other posts on the page had few likes, making it easier to spot a fake page.
Original link: https://www.thaipbs.or.th/now/content/1881
