An estimated $136.5 billion was lost to scams across Asia, with 71% of adults surveyed reporting exposure to fraud in the past year, according to a new regional study by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) and Gogolook, the developer of caller identification app Whoscall.
The “State of Scams in Asia 2026” report surveyed 17,460 adults across 13 Asian markets and found that 62% of respondents who encountered a scam interacted with it. Of those who engaged with scammers, 26% suffered financial losses.
Among victims who lost money, 51% said they had been scammed more than once.
Phone calls were the most common channel through which respondents encountered scams, cited by 56%, followed by text messages at 50% and instant messaging apps at 40%. Shopping fraud, investment schemes, and fake employment offers were among the most common types of scams.
Although 66% of respondents said they were confident they could recognize scams, many still interacted with suspicious communications.
“One of the most striking findings is the gap between confidence and behavior,” said Brian D. Hanley, director of GASA’s Asia-Pacific chapter.
“This shows why education is important but cannot be our only line of defense. We also need stronger safeguards that protect people throughout the scam journey.”
The impact of scams extended beyond financial losses. Among respondents who lost money, 77% experienced at least one emotional impact, 72% reported negative effects on their mental well-being, and 58% said the losses disrupted their everyday finances.
Despite 85% of victims reporting their experiences, recovery and reimbursement remained difficult and inconsistent, the report found.
The study also identified growing challenges for telecommunications providers as scammers adapt to security measures such as SIM registration and identity verification.
“Phone and text message scams remain a major challenge across Asia. In Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia, more than six in ten respondents encountered scam calls,” said Jeff Kuo, CEO of Gogolook.
“As scammers use AI-generated voices and increasingly convincing scripts, identifying suspicious numbers and warning users before they engage becomes even more important. Whoscall’s observations also suggest that scammers are adapting to tighter SIM registration and identity checks by using international and satellite numbers, making continued cross-market information sharing essential.”
The survey found substantial public support for measures that would allow financial institutions and technology providers to intervene before victims lose money.
About 71% of respondents supported allowing banks to block high-value transactions without prior customer permission when fraud is suspected.
Another 69% backed empowering telecommunications operators and messaging apps to block malicious calls and messages proactively.
