The Whoscall Annual Report 2024, released today by TrustTech service provider Gogolook, reveals that Malaysia recorded the highest rate of personal data leaks among key Asian markets. At the same time, scam calls in Malaysia surged by a staggering 82.81% in 2024, marking a sharp rise from the previous year and signaling an alarming escalation in digital scam tactics.
The report, which analyses scam data collected between January and December 2024 from Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and the Philippines, highlights the growing risk of personal data breaches fueling targeted
scams across the region. Malaysia Records the Highest Personal Data Leaks in Key Asian Markets
Malaysia recorded the highest rate of personal data leaks among the countries studied, with 72.5% of users who checked their status via Whoscall’s ID Security feature discovering their information had been compromised. Voon Chang Liew, Business Development Director of Gogolook in Malaysia, explained, “While phone numbers were the most leaked data across all countries (98% in Malaysia) among users, Malaysia stands out for its high rate of name leaks (89%), followed by addresses and emails. This makes impersonation scams more convincing, as scammers exploit leaked names to pose as banks, government agencies or delivery services.”
“With personal details readily available, scammers can launch highly targeted fraud attempts. Whoscall’s ID Security helps users detect data leaks early, allowing them to update passwords and secure accounts before scammers take advantage.”
In contrast, email addresses were the second most leaked data type in Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines, where phishing emails are a primary fraud method. Account credentials and home addresses remain high-risk across the region, exposing users to identity theft and financial fraud.Scammers are increasing their activities rapidly, using personal data leaks to carry out more advanced scams. Scam calls rose by 82.81%, while SMS scams increased by 19.97%, showing that scammers are relying more on calls while still using text messages to deceive victims.
This rise in scam activity also correlates with increased financial losses, as fraudsters exploit leaked personal data and AI-driven deception tactics to target victims more effectively.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director, Datuk Sri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf shared, “Scam financial losses in Malaysia surged to RM1.57 billion in 2024, up from RM1.22 billion in 2023. AI-driven scams, including
deepfake videos of celebrities and politicians, are making it easier to deceive victims into fraudulent investments or phishing traps. These scams are becoming harder to detect, especially for the elderly, who are often targeted due to their financial
savings.”
