A FREE downloadable application named “DE-fence” has been launched by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) to prevent and disrupt phone and SMS scams, PPTVHD36 said this evening (Jan. 16).
Mr. Wethang Puangsap, secretary-general of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission and the ministry’s spokesperson, said this digital tool has been designed to prevent and alert against various scam tactics used by fraudsters to deceive the public through phone calls and SMS messages along with measures for registering all new SMS service providers.
DE-fence’s strength lies in its ability to integrate and exchange phone number information between various government and private sector agencies. It is able to identify fraudulent and suspicious numbers, and in keeping a list of genuine government agency numbers, will warn the public about caller ID, whether it is a legitimate government agency number or a fraudulent one, before answering the call or reading the SMS message.
“It can also link to a legitimate online police reporting system, eliminating concerns about encountering fake websites, and allows users to call for consultation.
“Alternatively, users can report and freeze the perpetrator’s account immediately via AOC (the Anti-Online Scam Operation Centre) hotline 1441, to provide information to the police,” Wethang said.
The DE-fence application categorises incoming calls and SMS messages into three groups:
1/ Blacklist or Dangerous: These are phone numbers that have been confirmed to be involved in fraud or technology-related crimes. This information has been verified and certified by relevant agencies such as AOC, the Central Investigation Bureau and the Technology Crime Suppression Centre.
2/ Greylist or Suspicious: These are phone numbers with suspicious behaviour or a risk of fraud, but not yet directly confirmed as criminal activity. Examples include contact from unknown or unfamiliar numbers, calls from overseas, or calls made via the internet. This includes phone numbers that have been frequently reported or complained about by the public.
3/ Whitelist or Registered numbers: These are verified by relevant government agencies as official government numbers or numbers registered by users to verify their identity, making them trustworthy. These whitelist (registered) numbers help users clearly distinguish safe contacts from suspicious numbers, reducing confusion and increasing confidence in answering calls or messages.
The DE-fence application is now available for free download on Android via Google Play and App Store.
It is also ad-free, representing a collaboration between the government and private sector to develop a tool aimed at combating cybercrime and reducing the number of victims. The “Prevent-Before-Deception” approach helps prevent citizens from becoming victims of cybercrime and contributes to a reduction of cybercrime statistics.
This app can be downloaded at:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/th/app/de-fence/id6741673813
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mdes.defence.de_fence&hl=end
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