A new GSMA study warns that online scams are rising sharply in the Philippines, with more than half of Filipinos reporting they have been victimized at least once — a rate higher than the Asean average.
The findings were released Wednesday, Nov. 12, during the Digital Nation Summit Manila, where the mobile industry announced a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening scam prevention and rebuilding consumer trust.
According to the mobile industry association’s ongoing Asean Consumer Scam study, 52% of Filipinos have experienced scams in their lifetime, seven points above the regional benchmark.
Scam incidents also continue to accelerate: 8% of respondents reported being scammed within the past year, while overall exposure increased by six percentage points — one of the fastest jumps in the region, matched only by Thailand.
The report, conducted by Armidale, further shows that 68% of victims lost money, with 11% describing their losses as substantial.
Beyond financial harm, nearly half (45%) said scam incidents caused emotional stress, and 28% said they had to spend significant time resolving the aftermath.
Concern over digital threats is widespread: 96% of Filipinos surveyed said they worry about scams and hacking, with 58% saying they are “very concerned,” up seven points from last year.
Social media has now become the top channel used by scammers in the Philippines, overtaking SMS, OTT apps, and voice calls.
“The Philippine digital economy depends on trust,” said Julian Gorman, GSMA head for Asia-Pacific. “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 defense if we are to protect consumers and sustain the country’s digital-growth story.”
To help address the growing threat, the GSMA introduced a new pilot project under the APAC Cross-Sector Anti-Scam Taskforce (ACAST).
The initiative will allow Philippine mobile operators to securely share anonymized, regulator-approved threat data — spanning customer-reported fraud numbers and abnormal traffic patterns — with partners in the technology and financial sectors.
The goal is to test how telecom-derived intelligence can improve scam-risk scoring for digital platforms. A controlled proof-of-concept is planned for early 2026.
The GSMA also highlighted new anti-fraud solutions launched by the country’s three major mobile operators under the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.
These services rely on secure API-based authentication and network-level threat data to verify user identities and detect SIM-swap attacks in real time:
- SmartSafe SilentAccess (PLDT Enterprise): Replaces SMS one-time passwords in support of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Circular 1213.
- DITO Network Authentication: Powered by Shush Inc.’s Sherlock platform, using eight CAMARA APIs and EAP-AKA cryptography to reduce fraud risk by up to 90%.
- Globe Number Verification: Globe, now GSMA-certified, is deploying API-based verification tools to help banks comply with stricter BSP security requirements.
During the summit, GSMA called on stakeholders in banking, telecoms, e-commerce and government to adopt a coordinated anti-scam strategy, including:
- Standardizing threat-reporting and cyber-hygiene practices.
- Using telecom data insights and Open Gateway APIs for real-time fraud detection.
- Strengthening awareness and digital-literacy campaigns for high-risk groups.
- Aligning data-protection and consumer-rights frameworks with the upcoming ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan 2026–2035.
The GSMA said these measures are essential to restoring digital trust as scams continue to escalate and threaten the country’s fast-growing online economy.
