Malaysia followed with average losses of $1,035 per victim, while in Thailand the figure stood in third place with $354, The Star reported, citing the Global Anti-Scam Alliance’s State of Scams in Southeast Asia 2025 report released in late August.
Overall, scammers stole $23.6 billion across the region last year, which works out to about $660 lost per adult, according to the report, which polled 6,000 people aged 18 and above in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines on their encounters with scams.
In Singapore, a record S$1.1 billion (US$861.2 million) was lost to scams last year, up 70% from 2023, as reported by The Straits Times.
Investment, job and phishing were the top three scams both by number of cases and amount lost in the city-state during the period.
The situation has improved so far this year, with 19,665 cases and S$456.4 million in losses reported in the first half — down 26% and 12.6%, respectively, from the same period last year, according to Channel News Asia.
Scam trends across Southeast Asia
According to the report, Malaysia recorded the highest share of scam victims who lost money, with 32% of adults affected. The Philippines followed at 31%, while Singapore came in third at 21%.
Across most countries, wire transfers were the primary method of payment employed by scammers, though in the Philippines digital wallets were more frequently used.
Investment scams topped the list, with 63% of respondents saying they had been targeted, including 32% who encountered such schemes more than once.
Unexpected money scams, where people are tricked into handing over money or personal details to claim prizes, lottery winnings or supposed windfalls, were the second most prevalent scam with 58% reporting such experiences.
Impersonation (58%), shopping (57%) and employment (50%) scams rounded out the top five.
Jorij Abraham, CEO of the alliance, said scams are not just a personal issue but a societal threat.
“Scammers are evolving faster than our defences,” he said. “Governments, tech companies, and financial institutions must come together to turn the tide, or we risk normalizing fraud as part of daily life.”
