New regional initiative launched at the Google 2026 Online Safety Dialogue aims to expand scam prevention awareness, strengthen governance, and enhance digital safety across Southeast Asia
The ASEAN Foundation today launched Scam Ready ASEAN, a regional initiative aimed at strengthening prevention against online scams across Southeast Asia. The programme was unveiled at the Google 2026 Online Safety Dialogue in Kuala Lumpur earlier today, a forum bringing together policymakers, industry and safety experts focused on combatting the growing threat of online fraud and scams.
Supported by Google.org with USD 5 million funding, the programme aims to build scam resilience for 3,000,000 people across ASEAN, representing one of the region’s largest-ever digital defence initiatives against online scams. Scam Ready ASEAN seeks to equip ASEAN communities with the knowledge, digital confidence, and critical thinking skills needed to recognise and prevent scams in an increasingly complex online environment.
A Threat Affecting Communities Across the Region
Online scams have become one of the fastest-growing digital risks facing Southeast Asia, cutting across borders, sectors, and communities. While ASEAN’s digital transformation has created significant economic and social opportunities, it has also increased exposure to cyber-enabled fraud. In 2024 alone, Southeast Asia incurred an estimated USD 23.6 billion in financial losses due to online scams.
In the Philippines, online scams remain a persistent and evolving threat. Recent data from the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group shows continued enforcement activity, with dozens of scammers and money mules arrested in the first months of 2026 alone, underscoring the sustained scale of cyber-enabled fraud.
Common scam types include phishing, impersonation, online job scams, and fraudulent online selling schemes, many of which continue to proliferate despite regulatory measures such as SIM registration. Authorities have also warned of increasingly sophisticated tactics, including scam operations leveraging digital platforms and coordinated messaging campaigns.
At the same time, enforcement agencies and international partners have flagged the presence of organised scam centres in the country, highlighting the growing scale and complexity of cybercrime operations in the region.
In response, the Philippine government has intensified its efforts through stronger inter-agency coordination, public awareness campaigns, and closer collaboration with financial institutions and telecommunications providers to enhance detection, prevention, and enforcement against online scams.
As generative AI, digital payments, and social media continue to evolve, scams are becoming more widespread and harder to spot. They are now affecting people from all walks of life—young people, families, older adults, and even those who are just starting to go online.
To keep communities safe from these evolving threats, Scam Ready ASEAN will partner with 20 local organisations across 11 Member States to deploy a large-scale Train-the-Trainer model. By mobilising 2,000 Master Trainers, the initiative will deliver structured modules and interactive tools such as the Be Scam Ready game (click to play), to at least 550,000 beneficiaries. This grassroots education will be amplified by localised awareness campaigns and a series of six national and three regional policy dialogues, including in Malaysia, to drive a unified, cross-sector defense against online fraud.
“Scams today are no longer isolated incidents—they are a growing, shared challenge that affects people across borders, sectors, and communities,” said Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation. “Across Southeast Asia, we are seeing how scams impact not just individuals, but trust in our digital spaces more broadly. Scam Ready ASEAN is about shifting our approach—from reacting to scams, to preventing them and being better prepared. By working closely with communities, policymakers, and industry, we hope to build a safer digital environment where people feel more confident and protected as ASEAN continues its digital journey.”
“The success of Southeast Asia’s digital economy must be anchored in a foundation of trust.” said Sapna Chadha, Vice President, Southeast Asia. “To stay ahead of bad actors who are evolving their tactics, we are enhancing the security of our products and platforms, while supporting initiatives like the Scam Ready ASEAN programme to ensure that every citizen is empowered with the knowledge to keep themselves safe online. More than just awareness, this is also about investing in a whole-of-ecosystem approach where governments, industry, and civil society work together to protect the region.”
A Regional Effort to Build Scam Resilience
At the regional level, ASEAN has also taken important steps to address online scams, including the establishment of the ASEAN Anti-Scam Working Group at the 4th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting in 2024, which focuses on strengthening cooperation among national anti-scam centres.
Building on this momentum, Scam Ready ASEAN translates ASEAN’s policy commitment into a multi-year programme that promotes a whole-of-society approach to scam prevention, bringing together governments, industry, civil society, and communities to strengthen regional resilience against online fraud.
Inside the Programme Launch
Aligning with existing frameworks like the ASEAN Anti-Scam Working Group, the initiative launched today with a high-level policy dialogue. Representatives from key ASEAN digital, financial, and consumer protection bodies convened with banking and tech stakeholders to share best practices and lay the groundwork for future cross-sector collaboration.
Following the dialogue, Scam Ready ASEAN was officially launched by H.E. Dato’ Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications of Malaysia; H.E. Ambassador Sarah Al Bakri Devadason, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the ASEAN Foundation and Permanent Representative of Malaysia to ASEAN; H.E. Amb. Evangeline T. Ong Jimenez-Ducrocq, Member of the Board of Trustees of the ASEAN Foundation and Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to ASEAN; Dr. Piti Srisangnam, the Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, and Ram Papatla, Managing Director, Trust & Safety, Google APAC.
Together, this multi-year commitment reinforces the region’s shift toward proactive prevention, helping citizens navigate the digital space safely and confidently.
