Bangkok (Thailand), 20 June 2023 - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has launched a multi-tiered regional campaign entitled KNOWSCAM #BEAWAREOFSCAMS, focusing on online scams, phishing, and identity theft in Southeast Asia to raise awareness amongst governments, the private sector, and the public for a safer digital environment.
The prevalence of online scams in Southeast Asia is a cause for serious concern, with many individuals falling victim to fraudulent activities. A shocking report on 1,615 Southeast Asian respondents found that 52% of users had their money stolen, and 72% of users had experienced at least one form of online scam involving digital payments. These scams can take place in many different forms and happen at any time, from phishing emails with malicious software to fake websites. With flashy job advertisements and too-good-to-be-true terms and conditions advertised through social media or messaging applications, thousands of people have also been trafficked, detained, and forced to work in call centres as scammers around the region. At the same time, scammers have been using the latest technological developments to access personally-identifiable information (PII). With over 400 million internet users in Southeast Asia as of 2022, the public needs to #BeAwareOfScams and equip itself with the necessary knowledge to recognize red flags.
In response, the KNOWSCAM regional campaign, funded by the Government of Japan, focus on the impact of online scams, phishing, and identity theft with the aim to provide governments, the private sector, and the public with awareness and preventative measures. UNODC recognizes the importance of informing the public about basic safety measures and tips to protect information online via the production of infographics, non-fiction stories based on real-life situations, and animated videos, which are translated into Thai, Bahasa Malay, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Laos, available on the campaign’s landing page.
Dr. Joshua James, Regional Cybercrime Coordinator for UNODC, mentioned that "Online scams, phishing and identity theft is a growing threat to individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide. It is essential that we work together to raise awareness about the dangers of online scams, phishing, and identity theft and share best practices to combat these crimes.”
The campaign importantly includes a number of actions to raise awareness and motivate people to take action. Activities incudes the regional Silent Comic Contest, inviting young artists from Southeast Asia to participate and engage with the public on the issue of cybercrime, and an online webinar followed by an on-site event in Bangkok with experts from across the region, discussing the latest trends in cybercrime and exploring potential ways to combat them.
Looking Ahead: 2023 and Beyond
In the fast-approaching era of the Metaverse and the ever-increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and deep fakes, the necessity for a collaborative approach and strategy has never been greater. Governments and the private and public sectors need to work together to address this continuously evolving cyber threat landscape to ensure a safe and secure digital future for all.
UNODC will continue to work with governments, private sectors, and the public to promote awareness and prevention tactics on online scams, phishing, and identity theft including cybercrime in general. To learn more about scams, phishing, and identity theft in Southeast Asia visit the UNODC website.
Click here to read the UNODC report: Darknet cybercrime Threats to Southeast Asia
Click here to read more about Cybercrime and COVID-19 in Southeast Asia: an evolving picture
Click here to learn more about UNODC's Regional Programme and work on cybercrime
Click here for information about the UNODC Global Cybercrime Programme
