KUALA LUMPUR: The number of scam calls received by Malaysian Whoscall users increased by 100.92 per cent, totalling 1,632,290 in 2023 compared to 812,428 in the previous year, Whoscall’s 2023 annual report noted.
Whoscall is the industry-leading digital anti-fraud app under the TrustTech service provider Gogolook.
Gogolook Malaysia country marketing lead Man Yong said the report also shows that out of the 7 Asian countries, Malaysia is the second-top country seeing an increase in scam calls after Hong Kong, followed by Japan, which takes the third spot. Other Asian countries, such as Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, and the Philippines, are seeing a decrease in scam calls.
She said that despite the increased risk of scam calls in Malaysia, Whoscall managed to help its users by identifying and adding the ‘scam’ tagging to 1,632,290 calls in 2023 alone.
“However, 10.35 per cent, equivalent to 168,946 users, still chose to pick up the tagged scam calls.
“This is a concern, and we would like to remind our users not to entertain any calls tagged as ‘scam’ and to take action to block the number immediately.
“Taking these early preventive steps can save you from becoming a victim of scams,” she said in a statement.
The Malaysia Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) is a long-term strategic partner of Whoscall in Malaysia and works closely in database sharing to combat fraud cases amongst Malaysians.
Commenting on the latest trends of online scams in Malaysia, PDRM Anti-Scam Ambassador ASP Rahmat Fitri Abdullah said phone scam is the leading online scam cases, with over 2,092 cases with loss amounting to RM65.8 million in just the first two months of 2024 (January – February 2024).
“Another popular tactic is link or URL scams shared through messaging apps. We urge Malaysians to be alert and think twice before clicking on any links,” he said.
Rahmat Fitri said that generative artificial intelligence (AI) is now used to create fake content, making it hard to differentiate the authenticity of information shared.
He said Malaysia is now seeing emerging trends in AI-based scams involving manipulating news.
“Scammers take real news footage and alter the audio clip to achieve a certain goal, such as producing positive news about an investment opportunity to win the victims’ trust. This trick has seen more and more Malaysians fall for it,” Rahmat Fitri said.
As scam tactics evolve, Whoscall’s anti-fraud detection scope has expanded from calls and text messages to URL Scanner and ID security features.
By integrating its AI-powered anti-fraud technology, Whoscall has established a leading global advantage in detecting risky links and checking unknown links from various sources under its URL Scanner feature.
Recently, Whoscall’s new free feature, ID Security, is transforming user protection by swiftly detecting past leaks with just a phone number.
Users gain instant insights into compromised accounts, passwords, and personal details, all at a glance.
Plus, it offers vital remedial suggestions for added security.
Whoscall is actively expanding its feature offerings to become an essential anti-fraud app that protects its users against constantly evolving scam tactics.
