ASEAN Foundation launches ‘Scam Ready ASEAN’ to boost digital scam resilience in Southeast Asia

• Photo from ASEAN Foundation

The ASEAN Foundation has launched “Scam Ready ASEAN,” a regional initiative aimed at strengthening public awareness and resilience against online scams across Southeast Asia as cyber-enabled fraud continues to escalate across the region.

The program was officially unveiled during the Google 2026 Online Safety Dialogue held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia bringing together policymakers, technology firms, digital safety advocates, and financial stakeholders to discuss coordinated responses against rapidly evolving online scam operations.

Backed by a $5 million grant from Google.org, the initiative seeks to help build scam resilience for around three million people across ASEAN member states through education, awareness campaigns, and digital safety training programs.

The initiative comes as Southeast Asia faces mounting losses linked to online fraud. According to figures cited during the launch, the region incurred an estimated $23.6 billion in financial losses from scams in 2024 alone.

Scam Ready ASEAN will work with 20 local organizations across 11 ASEAN member states through a large-scale Train-the-Trainer model designed to expand grassroots digital safety education.

Under the program, around 2,000 Master Trainers are expected to conduct structured learning sessions and deploy interactive tools, including the “Be Scam Ready” educational game, targeting at least 550,000 direct beneficiaries across the region.

Organizers said the initiative also includes localized awareness campaigns and multiple national and regional policy dialogues aimed at strengthening collaboration between governments, industry, civil society groups, and consumer protection agencies.

The launch reflects growing regional concern over increasingly sophisticated scam tactics fueled by the rise of generative artificial intelligence, digital payments, social media platforms, and coordinated cybercrime networks.

In the Philippines, authorities continue to report persistent online fraud cases involving phishing, impersonation scams, online selling fraud, job scams, and money mule operations despite regulatory measures such as SIM registration.

Law enforcement agencies and international partners have also warned about the emergence of organized scam hubs operating within parts of Southeast Asia, highlighting the expanding scale of cross-border cybercrime activities.

Dr. Piti Srisangnam, Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation, said scams have evolved into a broader regional issue affecting digital trust across communities.

“Scams today are no longer isolated incidents — they are a growing, shared challenge that affects people across borders, sectors, and communities,” Srisangnam said.

“Across Southeast Asia, we are seeing how scams impact not just individuals, but trust in our digital spaces more broadly,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sapna Chadha, Vice President for Southeast Asia at Google
, emphasized the importance of a “whole-of-ecosystem” approach in strengthening online safety across the region.

“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,” Chadha said.

The initiative also aligns with broader ASEAN-level efforts against online scams, including the ASEAN Anti-Scam Working Group established during the 4th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting in 2024 to improve coordination among national anti-scam centers.

Officials said Scam Ready ASEAN aims to translate these regional policy efforts into long-term community-based digital defense programs focused on prevention, preparedness, and public awareness.