GSMA reports 45% of scam cases in ASEAN remain unresolved, with 82% of victims receiving no refund
IndustryDigital Finance
The GSM Association, or GSMA, has published its annual report on consumer scams in ASEAN for 2026, stating that 45% of reported scam cases across six ASEAN countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, remain unresolved, even as consumers become more proactive about protecting themselves. About 8% of surveyed consumers fell victim to a scam in the past 12 months, and among those victims, 68% lost money, while 82% were unable to recover any of the money they lost, and only 10% managed to get all of it back. The report, launched at the Digital Trust Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, September 9, also noted that unresolved cases are eroding consumer confidence in communication channels, digital platforms and data sharing, prompting many consumers to change how they use digital services and how they handle incoming contacts. The report also found that messaging apps are the channel where consumers encounter scams most often, accounting for 41% of reports, while 96% of consumers worry about falling victim to a scam or being hacked, and nearly 9 in 10 recognise at least one form of AI being used in scams. Scam tactics are increasingly targeting investments, cryptocurrency, online shopping and job-related fraud, with criminals persuading victims to transfer the money themselves. Consumers who have previously been victims are more than twice as likely to change accounts or service providers as those who have never been scammed.
