MANILA, Philippines — The GSMA has urged stronger regional cooperation among telecommunications companies, technology platforms and governments to combat online scams, saying 60 to 70 percent of scams originate outside the country where victims are targeted.
Jeanette Whyte, GSMA head of public policy and external affairs for Asia Pacific, said that cross-border information-sharing is necessary to identify and prevent fraudulent activities.
Speaking during a media roundtable at The Westin Manila on Wednesday, Whyte said that the Philippines is the first among participating ASEAN countries to conduct a data-exchange proof of concept through Globe, allowing information to be shared with countries such as Thailand and Singapore.
The GSMA's regional anti-scam task force also includes 39 companies from 17 Asia-Pacific countries, including mobile operators and digital platforms Google, Meta and TikTok.
Whyte said scammers are also adapting their operations, potentially using artificial intelligence to carry out fraudulent activities without relying on large physical facilities.
The GSMA cited its 2026 ASEAN Consumer Scam Report, which found that 76 percent of Filipino consumers surveyed were extremely worried about being scammed, while 62 percent avoided contact or transactions due to scam concerns.
Julian Gorman, GSMA head of Asia Pacific, said efforts to combat scams remain ongoing.
“We haven't won. We're not winning yet,” Gorman said.
