Protecting users from scams requires a collaborative effort, one that involves governments, tech platforms, researchers, and civil society. This spirit aligns closely with Safer Internet Lab’s mission to foster multi-stakeholder solutions in combating online harms. In line with this mission, we were honored to take part in the summit “2025 Online Safety Dialogue: Addressing Online Fraud & Scams in APAC,” hosted by Google in Taipei on April 25, 2025.
Our researcher, Adinova Fauri, joined the panel discussion titled “Scam Insights & Trends – Looking Forward with Google, Safer Internet Lab, and Gogolook.” Alongside moderator Norman Ng and fellow speakers — Boice Lin (Chief Business Officer of Gogolook) and Snigdha Bhardwaj (Director and Global Head of Generative AI and Search, Trust & Safety at Google), the panel explored the current landscape of online fraud and discussed forward-looking strategies to tackle scams.
Adinova shared insights from SAIL’s recent research on Online Fraud and Scam Trends Across APAC. While discussions on tech-driven scams often focus on AI and deepfakes, the data shows that most fraud cases still rely on traditional methods, such as phone calls and text messages. However, he also emphasized that AI-driven scams are emerging, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, and should not be overlooked.
In addressing the issue, Adinova highlighted three critical aspects:
- Technological issues: Advances in AI have enabled new scam techniques that are increasingly difficult to detect.
- Digital society issues: The digital divide continues to create vulnerabilities. While low-income and older populations are often at risk, even tech-savvy youth are not fully protected.
- Regulatory issues: In some countries, multiple institutions compete to lead scam-related policymaking, creating overlapping mandates and public confusion.
Adinova also addressed how scammers exploit digital ecosystems, stating, “Another point I want to raise is that AI-enabled scams do not occur in isolation. Scammers use existing online platforms and often move from one platform to another.”
Snigdha Bhardwaj added that although many scam tactics are well known, their implementation has become significantly more sophisticated. Despite Google’s extensive enforcement efforts, she emphasized that tackling online fraud requires a whole-of-society approach, not just interventions from tech platforms.
Echoing this, Boice Lin stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration and encouraged stakeholders to be creative, including by leveraging AI for scam detection and prevention.
This panel discussion reaffirmed a shared understanding: addressing online fraud is not a single-actor responsibility. It demands joint innovation, clear governance, and inclusive cooperation across sectors and borders.
Read the full research report on online fraud and scams: https://sail.ink/onlinescamsAPAC