Digital scams hit 84% of Filipinos, cost P121.8B

Digital scams reached 84% of Filipino adults in the past year, resulting in estimated losses of P121.8 billion, as e-wallets increasingly become a channel for transferring stolen funds, according to a report cited by digital asset platform Coins.ph.

The Global Anti-Scam Alliance's (GASA) State of Scams Philippines Report 2026, produced with Mastercard and Gogolook, found that the share of Filipinos encountering scams rose from 77% in the previous year. The reported use of e-wallets to move stolen money also climbed from 34% to 73% within a year.

Coins.ph raised the warning in observance of International Fraud Awareness Week, urging consumers to be cautious of fraudulent schemes targeting digital financial services.

“Most scams don’t break into an account. They convince the account owner to open the door,” said Amira Alawi, global marketing director at Coins.ph.

The platform identified four common schemes: phishing and impersonation, fake customer support, fraudulent investment offers, and task or employment scams that require victims to deposit money before receiving supposed earnings.

Phishing remains a major concern. A TransUnion study covering August to December 2025 found that 45% of Filipino respondents reported phishing incidents, while 38% encountered fraudulent text messages. Meanwhile, 6.1% of login attempts in the Philippines were flagged as suspected fraud in 2025.

Alawi also warned against investment offers promising guaranteed returns.

“Real investments carry risk, and nobody can honestly promise you a fixed return on crypto. If someone guarantees your profit, that guarantee is a scam,” she said.