Over half of Filipinos have been scammed, as new GSMA pilot boosts cross –sector sharing of mobile-network intelligence
13 November 2025, Manila: Consumer concerns around online scams have reached significant levels in the Philippines and threaten digital trust, according to a new GSMA report published today at the Digital Nation Summit Manila. To combat this the mobile industry has outlined a number of new anti-scam initiatives.
More than half (52%) of Filipinos have been scammed at least once in their lifetime, seven points higher than the ASEAN average, according to new findings which are part of the mobile industry association’s ongoing ASEAN Consumer Scam study. Eight per cent in Filipinos respondents have been victimised in the past twelve months, with reported scam exposure rising by six percent in the past year, an increase matched only by Thailand.
The new GSMA report, conducted by Armidale, also shows that two-thirds (68%) of victims have lost money to scammers, with 11% describing the loss as large. The psychological impact has also been severe with almost half (45%) reporting emotional stress and 28% spending significant time resolving incidents. More than 96% of respondents said they are worried about scams and hacking, with 58% say they are “very concerned”, up seven points year-on-year.
Social media is now the leading channel for fraudsters looking to scam victims in the Philippines, putting it ahead of text messages, OTT messaging apps and voice calls.
Julian Gorman, Head of Asia-Pacific, GSMA, said, “The Philippine’s digital economy depends on trust. Our latest evidence shows that trust is being eroded faster than it is being rebuilt. Industry and government must move from isolated initiatives to fully coordinated, data-driven defence if we are to protect consumers and sustain the country’s digital-growth story.”
Foundry Project Pilot to Enhance Cross-Sector Threat Intelligence Sharing
In response, the GSMA announced a new pilot at the Digital Nation Summit Manila to help Philippine mobile operators collaborate and share threat intelligence more effectively with leading technology and financial sector partners. By working together through the GSMA APAC Cross-Sector Anti-Scam Taskforce (ACAST) Combating Scams Foundry Project, the pilot will use anonymised, regulator-approved data sets ranging from customer-reported fraud numbers to abnormal traffic patterns to test how telecom intelligence can improve scam-risk scoring for digital platforms. A controlled proof-of-concept is scheduled for early 2026.
GSMA Open Gateway Initiative Brings Silent Authentication to Market
Mobile operators in the Philippines have also launched a series of commercial services to tackle scams and fraud, as part of the GSMA Open Gateway initiative. All three national operators PLDT/Smart, Globe and DITO, have announced Open Gateway-aligned services that silently verify subscriber identity and detect SIM-swap attempts in real time:
Call for Cross Sector Action Against Scams
At the Digital Nation Summit Manila, the GSMA urged stakeholders across banking, telecoms, e-commerce and government to:
- Standardise threat-reporting and cyber-hygiene practices, ensuring rapid, multi-channel takedown of scam vectors.
- Leverage telecom data insights and Open Gateway APIs for real-time fraud detection.
- Expand public-awareness and digital literacy campaigns targeting high-risk and vulnerable groups.
- Align data-protection and consumer-rights frameworks to enable secure cross-border services envisioned in the forthcoming ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan 2026–2035.
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About the GSMA
The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services & Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.
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