Background
The Philippines is undergoing a profound digital transformation, with over 73% internet penetration. In addition, Filipinos ranks fourth in the world in terms of social media use, spending an average of 3 hours and 25 minutes daily on social media platforms. While this digital engagement supports economic growth and innovation, it has also made the country increasingly susceptible to online scams and fraud.
In 2023, the Philippine National Police Anti Cybercrime Group recorded 16,297 scam cases, resulting in estimated financial losses of USD 37 million. Even more alarming is the broader cyber threat landscape, with approximately 1.2 million records, including sensitive information of applicants and employees of multiple government agencies in the Philippines, have been leaked online.
Common scams exploit popular platforms such as Facebook, which is the main social media platform used by Filipinos. In addition, messaging apps and e -commerce platforms, which saw 76% participation rate as of 2020, are also common channels where scams and fraud proliferate.
The State of Scams in the Philippines 2024 report reveals alarming scam levels, with 67% of Filipinos encountering scams monthly and losses totalling USD 8.29 billion (1.9% of GDP). Common scams include fake online stores, phishing via SMS and social media, and AI-generated voice/video scams. SMS scams alone have risen by 10% since 2023. Authorities now require telecoms to block clickable links in messages, while banks like GoTyme deploy trust-based technologies to combat fraud. Experts call for real-time scam detection tools, stronger cross-sector collaboration, simplified reporting mechanisms, and nationwide digital literacy campaigns to counter evolving threats.
As part of a regional initiative on scam resilience, the Tech for Good Institute, in collaboration with the Philippine Chapter of the Global Anti Scam Alliance (GASA), convened a multi sectoral roundtable in the Philippines. The session brought together voices from government, financial institutions, civil society, and digital platforms to explore collaborative strategies to strengthen public awareness, enhance enforcement response, and safeguard the country’s digital future against rising cyber threats.
Participants
- Jamie Duque-Dalig, Legislative Committee Secretary, Senate of the Philippines
- Monchito Ibrahim, Vice President and Member, Board of Trustees, Analytics & Artificial Intelligence Association of the Philippines Government
- Maricris Salud, Deputy Director, Cybersecurity Supervision, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
- Allan Cabanlong, Regional Director for Southeast Asia Hub, GFCE
- Jessel Tuvida, Senior Assistant Vice President, BDO Unibank / Credit Card Association
- Arthur Tanseco, Vice President, Business Development, Mastercard
- Andri Kusumo, APAC Engagement Lead, Trust & Safety Global Engagement, Google APAC
- Victor Lim, Head, Operations and IT, Bankers Association
- Jericho Konrad K. Uy, Enterprise Fraud Risks Division Head, RCBC
- Emmanuel Lazaro Estrada, Head, Regulatory Development & Strategy, Globe Telecom
- Prof. Philip Kwa, Academic Program Director, Master in Cybersecurity, Asian Institute of Management.
- Jocel de Guzman, Founder and Co-Lead Convenor, Scamwatch Pilipinas & Truth 360
- Carlo Bernardo Santos, Senior Director, Head of Analytics, Intelligence & Stakeholder Engagement, Globe Telecom
- Isvary Sivalingam, Southeast Asia Lead, Better Than Cash Alliance
- Mel Migrino, SEA Regional Director, Gogoolook
- Alwell Mulsid, Information Technology Officer, DICT
- Maricris Salud, Deputy Director, Cybersecurity Supervision and Oversight Group, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Key Takeaways:
1. Sophisticated Offline and Online Scam Tactic Require Integrated Responses
Scams in the Philippines are evolving rapidly, becoming not only more sophisticated but also more emotionally manipulative. Roundtable participants flagged the rise of AI generated voice scams, where victims were deceived by what sounded like a loved one asking for urgent financial help. Similarly, compromised social media accounts particularly on Facebook are being used to target victims’ networks, turning friends and relatives into unwitting intermediaries.
Offline tactics also remain highly effective. Participants described incidents of shoulder surfing at local stores where scammers observed mobile wallet PINs before stealing funds. This dual threat digital and physical underscores the need for integrated countermeasures that combine cybersecurity, behavioural awareness, and public education. As scams increasingly exploit trust and familiarity, responses must evolve to protect users across both their online and real world interactions. Sharing more about offline and online scam tactics should be part of the awareness campaigns.
2. Greater Coordination Is Needed to Strengthen and Scale Existing Anti Scam Infrastructure
Increased coordination and system wide approach is needed to strengthen and scale existing anti scam infrastructure. While efforts such as SIM card registration enforcement, the 1326 national scam hotline, and awareness campaigns by financial institutions are in place, the current landscape remains fragmented. Participants noted the absence of a centralised escalation pathway, resulting in inconsistent guidance and uneven support for victims.
Government agencies, telecommunications providers, banks, and other private sector actors often operate in silos, issuing parallel messages and protocols without shared frameworks. This has led to public confusion and reduced confidence in reporting mechanisms. The discussion underscored the need for an integrated coordination mechanism, where relevant entities align on public messaging, share digital tools and threat intelligence, and streamline referral and case resolution processes.
Improving the current system requires greater alignment of roles, consistent operational procedures, and efficient use of available resources across institutions. Building stronger inter agency communication and harmonising how cases are escalated and managed will be essential to enhance public trust and ensure timely, coordinated responses to scams.
3. Local Community Engagement Builds Awareness and Resilience against ScamsLeveraging Existing Community Organisations
Scam prevention in the Philippines remains largely reactive, with education efforts often failing to reach at-risk populations such as senior citizens, low income families, and micro entrepreneurs. Participants described how many small scale store owners (like sari sari store vendors) withdrew from digital tools altogether after falling victim to scams, highlighting how digital exclusion can be both a cause and a consequence of fraud.
To address this, participants emphasised the importance of local community engagement for example, by training digital advocates or “scam watchers” within households and barangays. These individuals could act as the first line of defence, helping others understand, identify, and report scams. Suggestions also included integrating scam awareness into digital literacy programmes in schools and local government outreach. Trust building through familiar, community-based messengers was seen as critical to shifting mindsets and behaviours.
4. Law Enforcement and Institutional Capacity Must Be Enhanced to Meet the Scale of the Threat
The roundtable highlighted the need to enforce stricter control over SIM ownership to reduce anonymity exploited in scams. Limiting the number of SIM cards registered per individual was seen as a necessary step to strengthen traceability and enforcement. Operationalising the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA) emerged as a top priority, with calls to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of relevant government agencies and activate inter agency coordination.
Participants strongly supported the proposal of equipping law enforcement with tools to intercept illicit signal transmissions and enhance investigative capabilities. Technological solutions such as antenna detection systems were discussed alongside structured training in cyber forensics. The discussion also stressed the importance of a victim centred national response system. A call centre with trained personnel who can troubleshoot issues, escalate urgent cases, and offer mental health support was proposed as a key element of this response.
To complement enforcement, a national public awareness campaign was encouraged to improve digital literacy and alert citizens to emerging scam tactics. Collaborative messaging with telcos and civil society was viewed as critical for broad outreach. The value of real time data sharing between financial institutions, telecommunications providers, and law enforcement was acknowledged as vital to disrupt scam networks and act quickly on verified cases.
