"Voice Phishing Surging Over Lunar New Year, Detected in Real Time with AI Services from Samsung and the Three Mobile Carriers"

"Preventing Damage with Samsung Phone, SKT A.Dot, KT Whowho, and LG U+ Eccio Apps"

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on February 12 that, with the Lunar New Year holiday approaching, it is asking people to use artificial intelligence (AI)-based voice phishing detection and alert services provided by Samsung Electronics and the three mobile carriers (SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus) to prevent damage from voice phishing. The request comes as voice phishing crimes are expected to surge around the Lunar New Year holiday period.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus have developed functions that analyze call content in real time to detect suspected voice phishing calls. These functions are available in the Samsung "Phone" app, SK Telecom's "A.Dot Phone" app, KT's "Whowho" app, and the LG U+ "Eccio" app. All call content analysis is performed by on-device AI within the smartphone itself, rather than on external servers, in order to reduce concerns about personal data leakage.

Image of a warning screen on a Galaxy smartphone suspected of voice phishing. Provided by Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics provides a "Suspected Voice Phishing Call Alert" function in the default Phone app pre-installed on Galaxy smartphones. This function analyzes the content of calls from unknown numbers and notifies users in two stages, such as "Suspicious (Suspected Voice Phishing)" and "Warning (Voice Phishing Detected)." This function is available on Galaxy smartphones running One UI 8.0 or later. Users can also use the "Caller ID and Spam Protection" function, which displays caller information on the incoming call screen when a number not saved in the contacts calls in, and informs users in advance whether the call is suspected spam · or phishing.

SK Telecom provides a function through the "A.Dot Phone" app (on iOS, "A.Dot") that analyzes the ongoing conversation in real time during a call and informs users whether it is voice phishing. This function comprehensively analyzes various factors, including the presence of suspicious keywords and conversation patterns, and classifies the results into two stages, "Suspicious" and "Dangerous," notifying users during the call via warning pop-ups, alert sounds, and vibrations. SK Telecom also plans to soon launch a function that detects the voices of voice phishing criminals.

KT provides a voice phishing detection and alert service through the "Whowho" app that combines real-time in-call context detection, speaker recognition, and deep voice detection technologies. This service is available to any Android smartphone user, regardless of carrier, who downloads and installs both the "Whowho" app and the "Whowho Call Recording" app from Google Play Store or One Store.

LG Uplus provides a voice phishing detection and alert service during calls through the "Eccio" app. Its "Anti-Deep Voice" function, which distinguishes AI-manipulated voices, works together with the "Criminal Voice Detection" function, which checks for matches with reported criminal voiceprints, to notify users with warning pop-ups and alert sounds when voice phishing is suspected. In addition, it offers a "Spam Call AI Auto Answer" function, in which AI answers calls from unknown numbers on behalf of the user, and a "Risky URL and Malicious App Detection" function that detects malicious web URLs and malicious app installations in text messages and KakaoTalk.

Choi Woo-hyuk, policy chief of the Network Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "Recently, voice phishing has been characterized mainly by the sophisticated methods that abuse artificial intelligence and by tactics that maximize psychological pressure," adding, "Around the Lunar New Year holiday period, various types of voice phishing crimes, such as impersonating delivery services, family members, or government subsidy programs, may surge, so we hope that using smartphone voice phishing detection and alert services will help prevent damage."