The Global Anti-Scam Summit (GASS) Asia 2025, held at Suntec City Convention Centre, has unveiled a series of initiatives to combat the rising threat of online scams in Southeast Asia. Announced by Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, these efforts aim to address the $23.6b lost to scams in the region over the past year.
GovTech Singapore has become the first government agency globally to join the Global Signal Exchange, a platform co-founded by Oxford Information Labs Research, Google, and the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), to share scam signals for disruption. This move is part of a broader strategy to enhance public-private partnerships against online scams.
Google.org has committed $5m to The ASEAN Foundation to expand online scam prevention resources to 3 million people across Southeast Asia. This includes the educational game “Be Scam Ready,” which will launch in Singapore in October and expand to other Asia Pacific markets in 2026.
A new report by the Tech for Good Institute, in partnership with Bamboo Builders, highlights the need for a “whole-of-society” approach to combat scams. Bamboo Builders also announced the “ScamWISE Squad” web-game, aimed at equipping 100,000 Singaporeans with skills to defend against scams by 2026.
GASA has expanded its network with new chapters in Indonesia and the Philippines, enhancing regional collaboration. Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of GASA, emphasised the importance of united efforts to build a stronger defence against scams. Rajat Maheshwari, chairman of the GASA Singapore Chapter, stressed the need for public and private sector alignment to ensure a trusted digital environment.
“`
