Safety Report/Automated Detection
Preventing Phishing
KakaoTalk offers the "Globe Signal", "Stranger Signal" and "Fake Signal" functions (hereinafter referred to as "Talk Siren") to help protect users from phishing crimes. The Talk Siren function alerts users to potential phishing attempts.
Users can check the warning signs, then block or report accounts that are suspected of phishing. However, not all blocked or reported friends can be considered as having malicious intent to phish. The reported accounts will be reviewed by expert reviewers for any patterns of fraud and will be immediately and permanently restricted from using the service if such fraudulent activities are detected.
This report contains data on accounts that have been blocked or reported through the “Talk Siren” warning signs. Data on service restrictions are not included in this report, but is available in the Follow-Up Measures > Chats report.
Summary
In the second half of 2024, more than 350K accounts were blocked by users through KakaoTalk's phishing prevention tools, including Globe Signal, Stranger Signal, and Fake Signal alerts, of which more than 63K accounts were reported.
The number of blocked accounts decreased by 18.6% compared to the previous period. This decline is attributed to stricter regulations on romance scams in early 2024, which slowed the activity of malicious overseas users, as well as shifts in the activity patterns of malicious users engaging in impersonation scams.
Meanwhile, the number of reported accounts increased by 29.8% compared to the previous period. In particular, after the introduction of the Fake Signal function in August 2024, users who received warnings actively submitted reports, leading to a rise in reported cases.
This trend indicates a positive change, as users trust KakaoTalk's warning features and take proactive measures against potential scams. KakaoTalk will continue to develop safety tools and take preemptive actions to protect users from digital crimes.
How many accounts were blocked or reported because a “Globe Signal” warning sign was displayed?
| Period | Blocked | Reported |
|---|---|---|
| Jan - Jun 2024 | 159,190 | 42,919 |
| Jul - Dec 2024 | 124,048 | 41,660 |
How many accounts were blocked or reported because a "Stranger Signal" warning sign was displayed?
| Period | Blocked | Reported |
|---|---|---|
| Jan - Jun 2024 | 268,957 | 5,767 |
| Jul - Dec 2024 | 187,771 | 5,655 |
How many accounts were blocked or reported because a "Fake Signal" warning sign was displayed?
| Period | Blocked | Reported |
|---|---|---|
| Jan - Jun 2024 | - | - |
| Jul - Dec 2024 | 36,631 | 15,875 |