ASEAN launches digital hub to fight online scams
THE 44th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting and its Associated Meetings are aimed at the Philippines as this year’s chair seeks to channel the urgency of the present global energy crisis into a stronger foundation for the regional bloc’s future: practical cooperation that safeguards livelihoods, unlocks investment and innovation, and strengthens the region’s ability to withstand the next disruption.
Photograph courtesy of ASEAN Secretariat
The ASEAN Foundation has launched a free online learning platform aimed at helping 3 million people across Southeast Asia recognise and prevent digital scams, as financial losses from fraudulent activities continue to mount across the region.
The Scam Ready ASEAN Resource Hub, unveiled on 10 November during the first Scam Ready ASEAN Public-Private Partnership Dialogue in Manila, provides educational materials, interactive learning tools and a directory of scam reporting hotlines across all 11 ASEAN member states.
Developed with support from Google.org, the platform features a regional scam prevention curriculum informed by internet safety experts and local implementing partners. It also includes Google’s Be Scam Ready educational game, which allows users to identify common scam tactics and practise making safer online decisions.
The initiative comes as scams across Southeast Asia caused an estimated $23.6 billion in losses in 2024, according to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance.
In the Philippines, 84% of adults encountered a scam attempt in the past year, up from 77% in 2025, based on the State of Scams Philippines 2026 Report. Despite 58% expressing confidence in identifying scams, 60% of those who encountered one still interacted with a scammer, while only 4% reported the incident to authorities.
ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Dr. Piti Srisangnam said the platform would allow learning and cooperation among regional partners to continue beyond the Manila dialogue.
The Resource Hub forms part of the Scam Ready ASEAN programme, a 2025-to-2027 initiative backed by $5 million from Google.org. It seeks to reach 3 million people through training, awareness campaigns, interactive learning and public-private partnerships.
Since its launch in Malaysia in April 2026, the programme has recruited 2,332 master trainers across the region, surpassing its initial target of 2,000. It has also generated more than 8 million online impressions through digital awareness efforts.
Google Global Affairs APAC Senior Director David Weller said public-private cooperation is essential in strengthening digital resilience against increasingly complex scam networks.
“We’re proud to partner, through Google.org, with the ASEAN Foundation on the Scam Ready ASEAN Resource Hub,” Weller said.