Tuesday 6 October, 2026
Defences Rising, Cases Unresolved
As ASEAN economies become more digital, trust is becoming central to the next phase of digital transformation. Citizens need to trust the digital services they use every day. Businesses need to trust the digital infrastructure on which they operate. Governments need confidence in the resilience, security and integrity of the systems on which digital economies increasingly depend.
Scams are therefore more than a consumer protection issue. They affect how we communicate, how we transact, how we respond to legitimate organisations and how willing we are to share the data needed to protect them. When trust is damaged, the impact extends well beyond the individual victim.
This report shows that consumers across ASEAN are not passive in the face of growing scam risks. They are aware of the threat, they are taking more steps to protect themselves, and many are changing their behaviour because of their own experience or the experience of people close to them. That progress matters.
But the report also points to a more difficult challenge. Consumer awareness and individual vigilance are necessary, but they are not enough. Too many reported cases remain unresolved, too many victims recover none of the money they lose, and the consequences extend beyond the original scam. When people report a scam and see no clear outcome, trust is weakened. That loss of trust affects communications channels, digital services, data sharing and confidence in the digital economy.
The next phase of anti-scam work must therefore focus not only on prevention, but also on resolution, recovery and coordination. Scams often move across channels, platforms, payment systems and institutions. No single organisation sees the whole case, and no single organisation can address the problem alone.
Mobile networks and services remain central to how people connect, access services and participate in the digital economy. Operators have an important role to play, alongside governments, financial institutions, digital platforms and technology providers. The priority now is to ensure that the ecosystem works together more effectively, with clearer reporting pathways, better information sharing, measurable outcomes and practical safeguards that improve consumer confidence without adding unnecessary friction.
ASEAN has made significant progress in digital transformation. Protecting consumers from scams and rebuilding trust when things go wrong must now be part of that agenda. The findings in this report are intended to support that discussion and help identify where further action is needed.
