Globe seeks boosted cross-border efforts vs scams

Ayala-backed Globe Telecom called for stronger ties with foreign partners to fight online scams, as fraud losses in the Philippines have already reached a staggering $8.1 billion.

The telco said it made this appeal at the Global Anti-Scam Summit Asia 2025 held last month in Singapore. It urged more than 1,000 participants to treat cybercrime as “one of the most pressing global threats.”

Derick Adil, head of artificial intelligence (AI) and privacy governance at Globe, said that cyber criminals now exploit new technologies, such as AI, to trick people “at digital speed.”

Adil said Globe has been aggressive in fending off text scams. So far, Globe has blocked over 9 billion scam messages even before these reached its subscribers.

Also, the company has partnered with local banks for data sharing. It is also working with Philippine authorities to crack down on fraud operations.

Prime target

Apart from individual consumers, Globe said businesses have also been a prime target for cyber criminals.

Data from American cybersecurity firm Fortinet and the International Data Corp. showed that about 78 percent of organizations in the Philippines have encountered AI-powered threats over the past year.

Given the gravity of the situation, Globe said deepening its cooperation with the Philippine government is a must.

On the sidelines of the event, Globe officials touched base with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to firm up plans about cross-border cybercrime efforts. The agency is supervised by the Department of Information and Communication Technology.

“These efforts must go beyond one country or one telco. Scams don’t stop at borders, and neither should our defenses,” said Adil. He is also a cochair of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance Philippines Chapter.

“To turn every scam attempt into a dead end, we must build a united front of governments, industry, and communities,” he added.

Based on a regional overview, cyber incidents in Southeast Asia climbed by 29 percent last year as ransomware and phishing activities continued to spread.