Global Anti-Scam Summit America 2026: More than 1,300 participants joined the Summit in San Francisco and virtually on 2–3 September, bringing together leaders from across the global anti-scam ecosystem. Relive the Summit through the official highlights video and photo gallery, and explore the presentations. [Watch the Highlights | View Photos | Download Slides]
Global Anti-Scam Summit Asia 2026: The global anti-scam community comes together again in Bangkok on 10–11 November to explore financial infrastructure disruption, national anti-scam ecosystems, secure-by-design approaches and AI defences, and the role of telecommunications providers on the front line.[Learn More | View Agenda |Register Now – 25% Off |Attend Virtually – FREE]
More than 1,300 participants joined the Global Anti-Scam Summit America 2026 in San Francisco and virtually on 2–3 September, bringing together leaders from government, law enforcement, financial services, technology, telecommunications, cybersecurity, consumer protection and civil society.
Across two days, discussions focused on moving from fragmented responses towards coordinated action – connecting intelligence across sectors, disrupting the infrastructure behind scams, strengthening cross-border enforcement and using technology and AI to intervene earlier.
Relive the Summit through the official highlights video and photo gallery, and explore the presentations.
GASA and UNODC Partner to Strengthen Global Response to Organised Fraud
At the Summit, GASA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen international cooperation against organised fraud and scams.
The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation across fraud prevention, criminal justice responses, research, analysis and awareness-raising, helping connect public and private-sector capabilities against increasingly transnational fraud networks.
Scam Fighter Awards Recognise Leading Anti-Scam Initiatives
The Scam Fighter Awards celebrated organisations and initiatives delivering practical solutions to prevent, detect, disrupt and respond to scams. Winners were recognised across four categories, with initiatives assessed for their impact, innovation and scalability:
Best Awareness Campaign or Educational Programme: Bitdefender – Scam Radar
Best Cross-Sector Collaboration: Static Technologies – Avengyr
Best Investigation or Research: International Justice Mission – A Potential Nexus Between Forced Scamming and the Financially-Motivated Sextortion of Children
Best Technological Solution: Resemble AI – DETECT-World
Discover the winners, runners-up and the work behind each of the recognised initiatives.
The Global Anti-Scam Summit Asia 2026 will bring the global anti-scam community together again on 10–11 November 2026 at Pullman Bangkok King Power, Bangkok, Thailand.
Across two days, leaders from across Asia and beyond will explore financial infrastructure disruption, national anti-scam ecosystems, secure-by-design approaches and AI defences, and the role of telecommunications providers on the front line.
New Report: Canadians Lost an Estimated CAD$2.06 Billion to Scams
GASA has released the State of Scams Canada 2026 report, revealing that 84% of Canadian adults encountered a scam in the past year, up from 75% in 2025. Canadians now face an average of 201 scam attempts per person annually.
The research also estimates that Canadian adults lost CAD$2.06 billion to scams over the past year. Among victims, 61% were scammed more than once, while 70% said the experience affected their mental wellbeing. The findings are based on a nationally representative survey of 1,160 Canadian adults.
GASA Partners with TruthScan to Bring Deepfake Detection to Scam.org
GASA has partnered with TruthScan to integrate deepfake detection technology into scam.org, helping consumers identify potentially manipulated or AI-generated images.
Users can upload an image for analysis to determine whether it is authentic, edited or generated by artificial intelligence. The integration responds to the growing use of AI-generated content in scams, including increasingly convincing impersonation attempts involving celebrities, family members and other individuals.
The partnership brings TruthScan’s AI fraud detection technology directly into GASA’s scam-prevention platform, giving consumers another tool to assess suspicious content before becoming victims.
Lay the Foundation for a Scam-Free Future: Join GASA Today!
Become a key player in the global effort to eradicate scams and online fraud. By joining the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), you’ll gain access to cutting-edge intelligence, engage in meaningful collaboration, and contribute to building a safer digital ecosystem.
As a Foundation Member, you’ll help shape the future of scam prevention, protect consumers, and disrupt global fraud networks. Unite with leading organisations like Amazon, Google, Mastercard, TrendLife, and many more to tackle this growing threat. Together, we can make a lasting impact.
Get in touch to learn about the exclusive benefits of GASA membership and how you can take action now.
GASA and Google Workshop in Johannesburg Sets Priorities for Anti-Scam Cooperation
The GASA Africa Chapter and Google South Africa brought together stakeholders from across Southern Africa for a Trust & Safety Workshop in Johannesburg, focused on developing practical approaches to stronger anti-scam cooperation.
Working groups developed recommendations across cross-border scam response, money mule detection, intelligence sharing, fraud prevention and consumer protection. Proposals included an African Anti-Scam Harmonisation and Response Framework, trusted mechanisms for cross-border data exchange and more accessible, standardised scam reporting.
The next Trust & Safety Workshop, hosted by GASA in partnership with Google, will take place in Accra, Ghana, on 8 October 2026, bringing together stakeholders from across West Africa.
The closed-door, invite-only working session will focus on emerging fraud and scam trends, practical pilot initiatives that can be deployed within 90 days, and a framework for continued coordination between technology companies, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, regulators, law enforcement and consumer protection bodies.
GASA Mexico in Forbes: Turning Fraud Data Into Actionable Intelligence
In a new Forbes México article, Sissi de la Peña, Director of the GASA Mexico Chapter, examines why tackling increasingly organised fraud requires moving beyond simply sharing information towards producing actionable intelligence.
Banks, telecom operators, platforms and authorities often hold different pieces of the same fraud operation. Sissi argues that connecting these signals through common standards, clear data-sharing rules and stronger cross-sector coordination can help identify and disrupt criminal networks before they reach their next victim.
The article also explores what recent developments in U.S. cyber policy could mean for Mexico and calls for closer coordination between the country’s fraud, cybersecurity and anti-money laundering functions.
Amazon Adds Scam Message Verification to Alexa for Shopping
Amazon has introduced a new verification feature in Alexa for Shopping that allows customers in the U.S. to check whether an email, text, phone call or other message claiming to be from Amazon is genuine.
The tool compares the communication against Amazon’s own records and provides a clear verification result within seconds. Each submission is also reported to Amazon’s customer protection and enforcement team, helping identify emerging scam tactics and support action against bad actors.
The feature complements Amazon’s existing verification options and is expected to expand to additional regions over time.
Charm Security Introduces Framework for the Human Layer of Fraud
Charm Security has introduced the Human Vulnerabilities & Exploits (HVE™) Framework, a structured approach to identifying, classifying and addressing the behavioural and psychological vulnerabilities exploited by scammers and fraudsters.
Drawing on behavioural science, psychology, criminology and fraud prevention, the framework aims to create a shared language for understanding how people are manipulated, not just the technical or transactional signals associated with an attack.
It also explores how these insights can be incorporated into AI-assisted scam prevention, intervention and recovery.
NECC Annual Report Highlights UK’s Growing Data-Led Response to Fraud
The UK’s National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) has published its Annual Report 2025–26, outlining how law enforcement, government and private-sector partners are strengthening the response to fraud and illicit finance.
The report highlights 5,500 fraud disruptions across the system, as well as initiatives targeting scam compounds, smishing, money mule networks and overseas fraud. It also sets out plans to scale cross-sector data sharing through the Online Crime Centre and expand the NECC’s Data Fusion capability to identify and disrupt criminal activity earlier.
GASA is building a global repository of effective and transferable best practices that make fraud and scams more difficult to execute or help prevent harm.
Practitioners and organisations are invited to submit successful initiatives, policies, tools and interventions. Selected submissions may be published on the GASA website to help others learn from and implement proven approaches.
Anyone can submit an example of a best practice – you do not need to be a GASA member.
GASA Working Groups bring members together to contribute their expertise to practical guidance, frameworks, policy input and tools across education, intelligence sharing, enforcement, prevention and intervention, research, and finance.
U.S. Strike Force Restrains $52 Million and Targets Scam Centres in Madagascar
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Scam Center Strike Force has restrained more than $52 million in cryptocurrency linked to scam money laundering and taken action against Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language marketplace accused of providing services to scam centre operators.
In a separate operation, the Strike Force deployed a team to Madagascar, where it supported local authorities in the takedown of 13 Chinese-run scam centres. Authorities arrested nearly 400 people, while the team helped process more than 3,200 electronic devices and opened further investigations based on information gathered during the operation.
The latest action brings the total cryptocurrency restrained by the Strike Force to approximately $938 million.
Nearly Half of Reported Scam Cases Across ASEAN Markets Remain Unresolved
Nearly half (45%) of reported scam cases across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam remain unresolved, according to the new GSMA ASEAN Consumer Scam Report 2026.
The report found that 8% of consumers surveyed were scammed in the previous 12 months. Among victims, 68% lost money, and of those, 82% recovered none of their losses. Messaging apps now account for 41% of scam experiences, making them the most common channel for encountering scams.
The findings also highlight the wider impact on digital trust, with consumers affected by scams more likely to change how they use digital services or switch accounts and providers. The GSMA calls for greater coordination across governments, mobile operators, financial institutions and digital platforms to strengthen trust and prevent fraud.
Thai Military Uncovers Evidence of Organ Trafficking at Scam Compound
The Thai military says it has uncovered evidence suggesting illegal organ trafficking may have taken place at a scam compound on the Thailand–Cambodia border.
Documents recovered from the compound reportedly indicated that workers who failed to meet scam quotas could face punishment, while investigators found a room containing an operating table and surgical equipment. The site also contained solitary confinement cells and other evidence of abuse.
The sprawling compound, which was seized by the Thai military last year, is believed to have housed around 15,000 people involved in scam operations, including victims of human trafficking who were allegedly forced to commit fraud.
Alongside the global GASA newsletter, we also publish chapter-level newsletters to reflect how scams are evolving in different parts of the world.
These editions focus on scam trends, research, policy developments, and cross-sector activity specific to your local context, informed by the work of GASA chapters and partners on the ground.
You can choose the regions most relevant to you and receive updates from Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America, Oceania, and Southeast Asia, alongside global updates from GASA.
Next Week – Research Working Group Examines Fraudulent Tickets and Robocall Scams
The next GASA Research Working Group meeting, hosted by Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of GASA, will bring together members and scientific researchers to explore new evidence on fraudulent event tickets and scam robocalls.
Professor Yaniv Hanoch of the University of Wolverhampton will present research into consumers’ ability to distinguish between authentic and fraudulent tickets. Across three studies involving 604 participants, only 42% of fraudulent tickets were correctly identified, although targeted interventions improved detection.
Ryan Moore of the University of Texas at Austin and Dr Doug Shadel of Fraud Prevention Strategies will present an analysis of 4.49 million robocall transcripts collected through 295,749 decoy phone lines. Their research examines how scam calls use emotional pressure, threats and appeals to authority, including tactics targeting older adults.
The speakers will also consider how generative AI could change robocall scams and increase risks to consumers.
Speakers
Dr Doug Shadel Managing Director, Fraud Prevention Strategies
Ryan Moore Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Austin
Next Week – New York Crypto Compliance: What Teams Need to Know Now
Crystal Intelligence will host a webinar examining New York’s evolving crypto crime and regulatory landscape, drawing on findings from its 2026 New York State Crypto Crime and Regulation Report.
Experts from Crystal Intelligence, Bitwise and Sumsub will discuss crypto crime trends, BitLicense requirements, the state’s cash-for-crypto market, cross-border compliance and the direction of regulation. The session will also provide practical steps compliance teams can take in response to emerging risks.
Speakers
Nick Smart Chief Intelligence Officer, Crystal Intelligence
24 September – GASA Europe Holds Its First Chapter Meeting
GASA Europe will bring members together for its first chapter meeting to identify where the alliance can add value and begin developing its agenda and action plan for 2026–2027.
The programme will include an overview of the State of Scams in Europe, an introduction to GASA Europe and lessons from the UK Fraud Strategy. Members will then discuss current gaps and opportunities for greater collaboration between industry and government authorities.
Speakers
Jorij Abraham Managing Director, Global Anti-Scam Alliance
The meeting is for GASA members and will be held in hybrid format. In-person participation is by invitation and limited to 30 attendees, while members can register to join virtually.
October – State of Scams Across Africa Webinar Series
GASA will host three webinars presenting findings from the State of Scams in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria 2026 reports. Each session will examine the scam landscape within the country and compare its findings with trends across Africa.
The webinars will explore emerging scam types, their economic and social impact and the role of technologies such as AI, social media, digital payments and cryptocurrencies. Speakers will also discuss practical approaches to prevention, consumer protection, regulation and cross-sector collaboration.
14 October – Mexico Anti-Scam Forum Moves from Coalition to Action
TheMexico Anti-Scam Forum 2026, co-organised with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) and the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Ministry of Finance (SHCP–UIF), will bring together approximately 150 senior officials, industry leaders and cross-sector stakeholders in Mexico City.
The Forum will officially publish the State of Scams in Mexico 2026 report and move through three stages – establishing the scale of the challenge, examining how scams operate across sectors and identifying the conditions needed for a coordinated national and international response.
The agenda is now available, detailing the programme for the day as participants work towards concrete agreements, responsibilities and next steps.
Date:14 October 2026 Location: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Mexico City
