Business
Thailand Cracks Down on Scammers Using P2P Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Thailand’s Digital Ministry and the Securities and Exchange Commission have hands joined to combat online scams to create of rules to govern the P2P cryptocurrency exchanges for the buying and selling of cryptocurrency.
According to these authorities, scammers use the money they make from their illegal operations to buy peer-to-peer cryptocurrency in order to lessen the danger of being tracked down.
Mr. Prasert Jantararuangthong, minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES), stated that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must alter or develop existing legislation governing digital assets in order to regulate P2P cryptocurrency operations and limit access for scammers. He said, around 80% of internet fraudsters use the P2P cryptocurrency channel for money transfers because it is unregulated.
Mr Prasert stated that the SEC may need to investigate and propose implementing new conditions to monitor the P2P channel of cryptocurrency exchange activity.
Existing legislation are mostly concerned with regulating cryptocurrency trading on unlicensed market exchanges. He stated that the focus on the P2P channel is part of a larger effort to find comprehensive solutions to combat online fraud and call center gangs.
Two Million P2P Cryptocurrency Exchange Accounts
According to Mr Prasert, the SEC reports that 2 million individuals own cryptocurrency accounts. “The move to regulate the P2P platform would not affect cryptocurrency traders on authorised exchanges,” the official said.
On April 9, Mr Prasert met with related authorities to discuss contact center gangs and the suppression of all sorts of internet criminality.
Representatives from the SEC, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center, the Bank of Thailand, the Thai Bankers’ Association, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo), the Department of Special Investigation, the Royal Thai Police, the Interior Ministry, the Defence Ministry, and the Foreign Affairs Ministry all attended the meeting.
The meeting followed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s request on April 1 that state officials show concrete achievements from the campaign on pervasive internet fraud within 30 days.
Mr Prasert stated that if the SEC fails to develop existing legislation to address the issue, he will advise the premier of a new scheme to control peer-to-peer bitcoin transactions. Aside from focusing on the P2P cryptocurrency channels, the group also discussed comprehensive ways to fight online fraud and phone center frauds.
Over 300 thousand Mule Bank Accounts Shuttered
First, all parties involved are expected to work together to accelerate data integration. The DES Ministry and the Anti-Online Scam Operation Centre (AOC) are co-hosting the integration. All agencies must provide them with relevant information, such as mule accounts, mule SIM cards, and suspected URL/Line information for gambling websites.
Second, the central bank and the Thai Bankers’ Association are expected to close the mule accounts immediately. Last week, Amlo closed 318,298 mule bank accounts and the AOC closed 102,900 mule accounts. The NBTC has been attempting to address the issue of mule SIM cards. The agency has requested persons with more than 100 SIM cards to re-register and verify their identities by February 14.
Approximately 2.57 million SIM card owners validated their identities. The DES Ministry and Royal Thai Police have terminated over 800,000 mule SIM cards. The Defense Ministry, NBTC, and Royal Thai Police are anticipated to increase operations to dismantle illicit telecom signal towers near the border.
The summit also directed the Royal Thai Police to develop a well-defined action plan to combat contact center gangs and cyber criminality. The DES Ministry and Royal Thai Police are likely to seek collaboration from neighboring nations in order to address cyber crime issues.
Loses of 4.65 Billion Baht
Consumer fraud is the most common internet scam, generating more than 1 billion baht in damage in the first quarter of this year, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) announced on Monday. According to deputy government spokesman Karom Polpornklang, 26,507 online scam instances were reported via the RTP website (thaipoliceonline.com), resulting in total loss of 4.65 billion baht, or 149 million baht per day.
Consumer fraud, in which individual suspects deceive their victims into purchasing goods or services online, was the most common scam recorded on the RTP website. These scams cost victims 1.02 billion baht, he claimed.
Other common scams included deceiving people into transferring money to gain extra money, which resulted in 466 million baht in overall harm, and loan scams, in which victims ended up repaying significantly more money than they borrowed due to excessively high interest rates. These financial scams caused 112 million baht in losses, he claimed.
Luring consumers into investing in digital assets cost 1.1 billion baht, while call center frauds cost 289 million baht. Mr Karom stated that the RTP blocked 28,233 bank accounts used by internet scammers in March, freezing at least 588 million baht out of a total of almost 1 billion baht in damages.
According to Pol Maj Gen Siriwat Deepho, the RTP deputy spokesman, the acting police chief, Pol Gen Kitrat Panphet, was concerned about the extent of the victims’ losses and the number of people who had knowingly or unknowingly given up control of their bank accounts to scammers or call center gangs.
Pol Maj Gen Siriwat emphasized that mule accounts are central to all online fraud, so individuals should not give out their bank information or sell their bank books for a tiny profit.
People whose identities appear on mule accounts face a potential three-year prison sentence and a fine of up to 300,000 baht. Pol Maj Gen Siriwat stated that they will be regarded participants of the scam networks and will face the same punishment as fraud ringleaders.
Source: DES, SEC
Business
PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.
(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.
This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.
Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.
Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.
The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.
Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.
Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.
The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.
Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.
Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.
Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.
Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.
Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”
Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.
The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.
Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.
The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.
Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”
Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.
The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.
Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.
The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:
SOURCE: CNBC
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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
Business
Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.
(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.
This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.
For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.
This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.
Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”
This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.
This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.
Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.
Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.
Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.
This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.
It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.
Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”
This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.
We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.
Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.
SOURCE: THBL
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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
States Sue TikTok, Claiming Its Platform Is Addictive And Harms The Mental Health Of Children
Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight
Business
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.
American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack
American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.
According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
SOURCE | AP
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