By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
MANILA – About 84 percent of Filipino adults encountered a scam attempt in the past year, up from 77 percent in 2025, according to the State of Scams Philippines 2026 Report released Thursday.
Scam losses were estimated at PHP121.8 billion annually based on survey responses, not on verified or reported figures, the report showed. The figure was extrapolated from the 15 percent of respondents who reported losing money or personal data, with victims reporting an average loss of PHP10,427 each.
“Behind every scam statistic is a person: someone who trusted the wrong message, clicked the wrong link, or simply believed the person on the other end of the phone,” Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) Asia Pacific director Brian Hanley said.
The report, released by GASA in collaboration with Mastercard and Gogolook, was based on a survey of 1,160 Filipino adults.
It found that the average Filipino adult encountered 151 scams over the past year.
Scammers shifted tactics during the period, with digital wallet abuse rising from 34 percent in 2025 to 73 percent in 2026. The Philippines was the only Southeast Asian country to record a decrease in the use of bank account transfers by scammers, falling from 36 percent to 12 percent.
Scam attempts increasingly reached people through the digital channels they use daily, with 39 percent approaching victims through instant messaging apps and 36 percent through social media posts. Overall, 88 percent of scam attempts occurred on platforms with a direct-message function.
While 58 percent of Filipino adults said they were confident in their ability to recognize a scam, 60 percent of those who encountered one went on to interact with it.
The report also highlighted the human impact. About 82 percent of victims said the experience negatively affected their mental well-being, while 22 percent said they were unable to pay for basic essentials as a result.
About 20 percent of parents reported that their child had experienced a scam.
Reporting remains low, with only 4 percent of all respondents reporting a scam to authorities. The figure rose to 29 percent among those who lost money.
The report recommended establishing a national coordinating body to improve intelligence sharing and response time across agencies, and a common case management function to enhance operational efficiency.
It cited initiatives such as the National Anti-Scam Hub, which would enable more effective intelligence sharing and faster responses to emerging threats.
Mastercard Philippines country manager Jason Crasto said no single organization can address the challenge alone.
“By bringing together the strengths of the public and private sectors, sharing intelligence and investing in smarter technologies, we can help build a more secure and inclusive digital ecosystem where innovation can thrive,” Crasto said.
Gogolook Philippines country head and general manager Mel Migriño said the company’s Whoscall platform helps businesses distinguish legitimate communications from impersonation attempts.
The platform also gives mobile and digital users tools to identify unfamiliar callers and assess suspicious messages and links, she said. (PNA)
ANTI-SCAM FORUM. Rajesh Singh Sandhu (from left), senior vice president of Mastercard; Alvin Navarro, Deputy Executive Director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC); Mel Migriño, country head and general manager of Gogolook Philippines; Darlene Pajarito, Undersecretary of the Department of Migrant Workers; Rojun Hosillos, Director of the CICC; Jocel de Guzman, co-founder of Scam Watch Pilipinas; and Brian Hanley, Asia Pacific director of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance pose for a photo during the GASA X NASH Forum at the Marco Polo Hotel in Pasig City on Thursday (Oct. 8, 2026). About 84 percent of Filipino adults encountered a scam attempt in the past year, up from 77 percent in 2025, according to the State of Scams Philippines 2026 Report released on Thursday.
