GASA Launches ‘State of Scams in Indonesia 2025’ Report to Combat Digital Scams and Strengthen Digital Resilience

The Global Anti Scam Alliance (GASA), in collaboration with Mastercard and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (Indosat or IOH), today launched the GASA ‘State of Scams in Indonesia 2025’ report. Aligned with the spirit of Indonesia’s Hari Sumpah Pemuda (Youth Pledge Day), the report spotlights the urgent need for greater cyber awareness among Gen Z and Millennials—the nation’s leading digital adopters.

This launch marks a concrete step forward following the establishment of the GASA Indonesia Chapter in July 2025, underscoring the critical need for industry-wide collaboration to tackle digital scams and enhance national cyber resilience.

Scams represent a systemic threat to Indonesia’s digital economy – eroding consumer trust, compromising well-being, and hindering growth. The ‘State of Scams in Indonesia 2025’ report offers timely insights into this evolving threat landscape, highlighting key consumer vulnerabilities and the tactics most commonly used to exploit them.

Landscape of Scams: Key Takeaways

• Nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of Indonesian adults encountered a scam in the past year (equivalent of 55 encounters per person annually), and one third (35 percent) fell victim to scams last year.
• 14 percent lost their money to scams, with total loss Rp49 trillion (US$3.3 billion) or Rp1,7 million per person, over the last 12 months.
• Encounters are most common on direct message-based platforms, notably instant messaging and SMS.
• 34 percent of respondents believe public organizations—primarily the government—should keep people safe from scammers.

Reski Damayanti, Chair of GASA Indonesia Chapter and Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison said, “Digital scams are harming communities across Indonesia—eroding trust, draining finances, and threatening the safety of everyday consumers. To protect the public and rebuild confidence, Indonesia must strengthen its scam prevention system through advanced technologies like AI, supported by strong partnerships and clear regulations. GASA Indonesia and its members are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and trustworthy digital environment for all Indonesians—through collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility.”

Aileen Goh, Country Manager, Indonesia, Mastercard and Vice-Chair of GASA Indonesia, said, “Indonesia stands at the forefront of digital transformation, unlocking new opportunities for millions. Yet, as its digital economy flourishes, so does the threat of scams, which have become a systemic risk impacting consumers, businesses, and institutions alike. At Mastercard, we believe trust is the foundation of an inclusive digital economy. Securing this trust requires more than technology—it demands collective action. Mastercard’s approach centers on collaboration—sharing intelligence, investing in innovation, and building partnerships that strengthen cyber resilience for all Indonesians. This report highlights the widespread nature of scams and underscores the urgent need for coordinated cross-sector responses. As Vice-Chair of the GASA Indonesia Chapter, Mastercard is committed to turning these recommendations into tangible outcomes, working with like-minded partners to build a safer, more trusted and inclusive digital economy—one where every Indonesian can participate and thrive, wherever they are.”

Putri Alam, Government Affairs and Public Policy Director, Google Indonesia, said, “At Google, we are deeply committed to building a safer internet. Our approach is founded on making AI-driven security features built right into our core products, ensuring they are private by default and secure by design. For example, our on-device AI enables real-time scam detection in Google Messages and supercharges Chrome's Safe Browsing to guard against phishing sites. These technical defenses, backed by advanced protection like the Priority Flagger Program and proactive scam intelligence, such as that detailed in our latest May 2025 fraud and scams advisory, validate that no single entity can solve this challenge alone. We are proud to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners in GASA to accelerate cross-sector action, and as the lead of the committee of Education and Awareness, to empowering every Indonesian to navigate the digital world safely and with confidence."

Brian D. Hanley, GASA APAC Director, said, “Every scam in Indonesia has a face. It’s the parent who loses their savings, the student who feels ashamed to tell anyone, the small business owner who can’t recover. Scams don’t just take money. They take confidence and trust in others. We must join forces — government, business, and civil society — to rebuild digital trust together.”

Recommendations from the Report

The report sets out ten recommendations to turn the tide on scams, grouped into three action areas:

• Empowering consumers through always-on awareness, national helplines, and integrated victim support.
• Creating a safer internet via network-level scam blocking and better fraud traceability across sellers, platforms, and payments.
• Strengthening cooperation with a network of anti-scam centers, clearer service-provider liability, preventive actions, and a global investigation and prosecution network.

These recommendations will guide GASA Indonesia Chapter’s mission and support the government’s Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, by building digital trust and safeguarding inclusive growth. Designed to enhance collective cybersecurity awareness and resilience through knowledge sharing, the report provides foundational intelligence to power these nation-wide efforts, serving as the basis for education programs, targeted campaigns, and policy development.

Methodology: This study surveyed 1,000 adults aged 18 and older across Indonesia through an online questionnaire conducted between February 26 and March 14, 2025. The sample was weighted to be nationally representative of the Indonesian adult population. The research explored scam exposure, victimization rates, and perceptions of responsibility for scam prevention, providing a comprehensive view of the country’s evolving digital scam landscape.

GASA is a leading international non-profit organization dedicated to uniting government, industry, and civil society to fight scams through collaboration, education, and research – such as the annual ‘State of Scams Report’. Its Indonesia chapter—chaired by IOH with Mastercard, and AFTECH as vice-chairs—is the second in Southeast Asia, established following the launch of the Singapore chapter in 2024¹.