The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Taiwan-headquartered tech firm Gogolook to protect Filipinos from fraud and online scams.
CICC executive director Alexander K. Ramos inked the agreement on Sept. 18 with Gogolook chief operating officer Manwoo Joo at the National Cybercrime Hub in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
Retired Supreme Court justice Andres Reyes Jr., a highly technical consultant of the CICC, and Philippine representative of Gogolook Mel Migrino were also present during the signing ceremony.
Gogolook is the creator of Whoscall App, which has an integrated caller identification, can block calls and texts from suspected scammers, and also report scam numbers. It has a database of 2.6 billion numbers from around the world.
Ramos said the MOU shows the CICC’s determination to combat scams and the individuals behind them.
“This MOU with Gogolook is a major step forward in our efforts to protect Filipinos from scam. I’m happy to welcome Gogolook and their product Whoscall to the Philippines, increasing the protection of cybersecurity for the Filipinos,” Ramos said.
“This collaboration with Whoscall underlines that fighting fraud is not a singular endeavor, but a cohesive effort. We are truly glad to have Gogolook by our side in this pivotal journey,” he added.
For his part, Gogolook’s Joo said the collaboration that serves as a joint front against scammers to help stay ahead of the evolving methods of scammers and fraudsters worldwide.
“With help from CICC, we can build a stronger anti-fraud network which already includes various police and government agencies from Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea,” he said.
Whoscall, which officially launched in the Philippines last August 22, 2023, has shown notable growth since its announcement and has garnered significant traction and positive feedback from users, already making it a reliable scam detection app in the country that is free to use.
Gogolook is a Taiwan-based brand which boasts a service scope covering more than 30 countries, including South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Brazil, and Malaysia.
