Gogolook, owner of the Whoscall application, in collaboration with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), has launched the Scam Alert feature on the app.
Eleven organisations are cooperating with the rollout, including telecom operators, the police, banks, the National Cyber Security Agency, the Central Investigation Bureau and the Thailand Consumer Council.
According to NBTC chairman Dr Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, the goal is to improve awareness among Thais, as the app has more than 20 million downloads locally.
"Cybercrime has become a significant threat affecting not only consumers, but also state agencies and businesses," Dr Sarana said.
Over the past few years, the NBTC has been working with law enforcement agencies and private organisations to strengthen Thailand's defences against cybercrimes, especially in the telecom sector, where standardised safety guidelines were issued.
He said Scam Alert creates a safer digital environment for Thais through knowledge-sharing and fostering collaboration across the public and private sectors.
Manwoo Joo, chief executive of Gogolook Thailand, said in recent years scams have become pervasive, affecting hundreds of thousands of Thais annually.
Between March 2022 and July 2024, total damage reached nearly 70 billion baht.
The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) Report 2024 revealed that only 55% of Thais are confident about their ability to recognise scams with 89% revealing that they encounter scams at least once per month.
Scammers are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to manipulate victims through unsolicited calls and spam messages as well as creating fake news articles and websites.
For example, in the first six months of this year, Whoscall identified nearly 19 million scam calls.
Mr Joo said Scam Alert is designed to be a comprehensive resource for the public, offering direct updates from law enforcement and free educational content from private partners on both the free and premium versions of the app.
By turning on notifications, Whoscall users can receive alerts to stay informed on significant and urgent scam threats such as authority impersonation, ransomware, large-scale financial scams, phishing attacks, identity theft and many others that may result in large-scale damage.
The Scam Education Content feature serves as a consolidated platform to raise awareness and educates users on the different types of scams across various industries.
Whoscall users can receive up-to-date, verified and accurate information such as reports and insights along with the newest scam tactics and prevention tips.
"Scam prevention begins with access to timely information from verified sources. Through the Whoscall app, users can be protected from online threats via Scam Alert and take advantage of available features in both free and premium versions for enhanced protection", Mr Joo said.