Turn Scammers into "SOHAI" with This Bot!

A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool has been introduced as a countermeasure against online fraud, enabling users to deliberately waste the time of scammers who target unsuspecting victims via WhatsApp. The chatbot, named Scammers On Hold AI (SOHAI), has been designed to engage scammers in seemingly endless conversations, preventing them from targeting real victims.

The term “sohai” is a slang word commonly used in Malaysia and Singapore, particularly among speakers of Cantonese and Manglish (Malaysian English). It is considered a vulgar or offensive term, often used in a joking or insulting manner. The word originates from Cantonese, where it is a crude expression, but in casual Malaysian and Singaporean usage, it generally refers to someone who is being foolish, naive, or acting in a ridiculous way. Despite its negative connotation, some people use it playfully among close friends, similar to how words like “idiot” or “dummy” might be used in English. However, it is still not appropriate in formal or professional settings. The name of the AI chatbot “Scammers On Hold AI (SOHAI)” is a tongue-in-cheek reference, using humour to highlight its purpose, that is to make scammers look foolish by wasting their time.

The initiative is the work of Dylan Tan, founder and CEO of Replyr.ai, a Singapore-based company. Tan developed SOHAI as a proactive way to combat the growing threat of online scams, which continue to plague users worldwide. The chatbot operates by responding to scammers with a series of evasive and nonsensical messages, derailing fraudulent schemes and ultimately rendering the scam attempts ineffective.

The system is simple to use—individuals who receive scam messages can redirect fraudsters to SOHAIs dedicated WhatsApp number. Once engaged, the chatbot interacts with the scammer, responding with deliberately misleading or irrelevant replies to prolong the exchange. Even if the scammer does not reply immediately, SOHAI follows up with additional messages, ensuring that the fraudster remains occupied for as long as possible.

In addition to frustrating scammers, SOHAI also collects and logs data on each interaction. Conversations are recorded in a Google Sheets leaderboard, detailing the duration of engagement, key conversational tactics employed, and an overall summary of the exchange. The chatbot is programmed to communicate in English, Malay, and Mandarin, demonstrating its multilingual capabilities and making it effective in diverse linguistic environments.

By keeping scammers preoccupied, SOHAI aims to reduce the number of potential victims they can reach. The initiative highlights a novel and tech-driven approach to online security, demonstrating how AI can be leveraged not just for protection, but also for disruption of fraudulent networks.