GASA Report Urges Stronger Action Against Indonesia Scams

KBRN, Jakarta: Amid rising digital fraud across Indonesia, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) has called for urgent improvements to the country’s fraud prevention systems.

The appeal was made during the launch of the State of Scams in Indonesia 2025 report, a joint initiative by GASA, Mastercard, and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH).

Reski Damayanti, Head of the GASA Indonesia Chapter and Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer at IOH, said digital scams pose a serious threat to public safety and trust in the digital ecosystem.

“Digital scams have harmed people across Indonesia, eroding trust, draining finances, and threatening consumers’ daily safety,” Reski said in Jakarta on Friday, October 31, 2025, as quoted by antaranews.com.

She emphasized the need to reinforce Indonesia’s fraud prevention systems with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, supported by cross-industry collaboration and clear regulatory frameworks.

GASA outlined three key recommendations to combat digital fraud. First, it emphasized the importance of empowering consumers through continuous education.

Second, it called for the creation of a safer internet environment by implementing fraud-blocking systems. Third, it emphasized the need for stronger cross-sector collaboration to support effective investigation and law enforcement efforts.

These efforts, Reski said, reflect GASA Indonesia’s commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive, and trustworthy digital environment in line with the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.

The GASA 2025 report revealed that two out of three adults in Indonesia had encountered scam attempts in the past year. Of those, 35 percent became victims, and 14 percent suffered financial losses. The total estimated loss reached USD 2.94 billion, with an average loss of USD 102.10 per person.

On the same occasion, Aileen Goh, Deputy Head of the GASA Indonesia Chapter and Country Manager of Mastercard Indonesia, stressed that trust is the foundation of an inclusive digital economy. “To maintain this trust, we need more than just technology. We need collective action across sectors,” she said.

GASA APAC Director Brian D. Hanley also underscored the social impact of scams, urging government, industry, and civil society to work together to rebuild digital trust. “Scams don’t just take money. They take away trust between people,” he concluded. ***