BANGKOK, Thailand – The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) is warning Buddhists to check bank account details carefully before transferring money to temples for donations or merit-making, advising donors to use accounts registered in the name of the temple through the Revenue Department’s e-Donation system.
CIB said donors should verify the receiving account before making any contribution and, where possible, transfer money directly to a bank account held in the name of the temple and registered for donations through the official e-Donation system. The warning comes as donors may be approached with requests to transfer money to personal bank accounts instead of accounts belonging to the temple. CIB advised people to exercise particular caution if they are asked to transfer donations to an account belonging to an individual monk, another private individual or a foundation rather than the temple itself. The bureau said donors should not assume that a transaction is legitimate simply because a receipt or certificate of merit is offered in return.
Before transferring money online, donors are advised to check three key points.
-First, check the account name. The name of the receiving account should correspond with the temple or donation channel officially announced by the temple.
-Second, verify the account or QR code through an official source. Donors should not rely solely on a bank account number or QR code shown in a social media post, shared message or chat. Instead, they should go back to the temple’s official communication channels and confirm the details before making a transfer.
-Third, check e-Donation information where available. If the temple uses the Revenue Department’s e-Donation system, donors can check the donation information through the department’s system.
CIB noted that scammers can copy a temple’s name, photographs of monks, logos and donation messages, making fraudulent appeals appear genuine. However, the bureau stressed that the destination of the money is the most important detail to verify.
Money given with the intention of supporting a temple and Buddhist activities could otherwise be diverted or used for purposes different from those intended by the donor. CIB urged the public to take a moment to verify the receiving account before transferring money and to favour official temple donation channels.
Checking the destination before making a donation can help ensure that money intended to support Buddhism and temple activities reaches the organisation for which it was intended rather than falling into the hands of scammers.
