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Google.org announced $6 million for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute to support scam-resilience work in Asia Pacific. Google also outlined product protections, industry coordination and an expansion of its scam-awareness game, while the scale and outcomes of the new programs remain to be seen.
Google.org has announced $6 million in funding for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute to support efforts against online scams across Asia Pacific, as Google also reports expanded device protections, industry partnerships and public education programs. The announcement responds to a regional threat that a UN report cited by Google put at up to $114.1 billion in scam losses in 2025 across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Google says the grant will support training for local communities, the development of AI-powered defense prototypes and work to give policymakers information that can help strengthen measures against scams. The company describes the funding as part of a wider effort to build community resilience; it has not provided a breakdown of how the $6 million will be divided between the two organizations or specific activities.
Google also outlined product measures. It says Android launched Fake Call Detection this year to identify potential AI-driven impersonation calls. Pixel devices have scam detection for messages from several popular messaging apps, and Google says it plans to bring the protection to more Android users later this year. The company is expanding Android developer verification to address malicious apps distributed outside Google Play.
On coordination, Google says it signed the Industry Accord Against Online Scams and Fraud with industry peers earlier this year and helped establish the Japan Anti-Scam Alliance. Google.org also recently helped launch the Global Anti-Scams Philanthropy Collaborative. The company says its Be Scam Ready educational game, already available in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan, will expand to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Funding Local Scam Defenses
The announcement combines technology measures with local training and cross-sector cooperation. That matters because scams can involve multiple channels and jurisdictions: a fraudulent app, impersonation call or deceptive message may reach people through different services, while investigations and prevention efforts involve companies, community groups and public agencies.
Google’s planned work could give residents and small businesses practical tools to recognize common tactics, while prototypes and policy research may inform future defenses. However, the announcement describes planned activities, not proven outcomes. The $6 million commitment and expanded game are inputs; their effects on scam exposure or losses have not yet been reported.
The figures Google cites underline the stakes but should be read with their stated scope. The company refers to a UN report estimating losses of up to $114.1 billion USD in 2025 across four named areas, and says more than 40% of ASEAN consumers were reported to experience scams. The source does not specify the survey method or define the period covered by the consumer figure.
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Google’s Regional Anti-Scam Measures
The new funding builds on existing local programs, according to Google. The company names Singapore-based Bamboo Builders and Taiwan FactCheck Center as organizations it has supported for specialized community training. It also points to the ASEAN Foundation’s Scam Ready ASEAN initiative, which provides online scam-prevention resources in the region.
Google presents its response in three parts: protections embedded in products, cooperation between companies and institutions, and community education. The measures described range from Android call and app safeguards to alliances intended to share threat intelligence. The source does not detail the operating rules, membership or information-sharing arrangements for the alliances.
The announcement is a company report about Google’s own work and commitments. Its account of the scale of losses and consumer exposure is attributed to an unspecified recent UN report; readers should distinguish those external estimates from Google’s descriptions of its programs.
“Tackling these highly organized networks requires a unified effort.”
Funding Details and Measured Results
Google has not stated when the grant-funded activities will begin, how the $6 million will be allocated, how many people or small businesses they are expected to reach, or what measures will be used to evaluate results. The company also has not identified the AI defense prototypes or said when they might be tested or deployed.
The source gives no precise release date for the report, and does not provide the title or methodology of the UN report behind the regional estimates. It is also unclear which additional Android users will receive scam detection, and exactly when the wider rollout will occur. Google describes these protections as detection and prevention measures, but does not report evidence that they have reduced scam losses.
Rollouts and Program Milestones
Google says it plans to extend scam detection to more Android users later this year and expand Be Scam Ready to five additional countries: Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The source does not give launch dates for those expansions.
The next substantive updates will be details from The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute on training, prototypes and policy work, along with information about the grant’s timing and reach. Google has not announced a reporting schedule or outcome targets, so the impact of the package will depend on later evidence about participation, adoption and whether the measures help reduce exposure to scams.
Key Questions
What did Google announce for Asia Pacific?
Google.org announced $6 million for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute to support community training, AI-powered defense prototypes and policy insights related to scam prevention.
Which countries will get the expanded Be Scam Ready game?
Google says the game will expand to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. It is already available in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan, according to the company.
What scam protections is Google adding to Android?
Google says Android launched Fake Call Detection for potential AI-driven impersonation calls and is expanding developer verification to cover malicious apps distributed outside Google Play. It also plans to bring Pixel’s messaging scam detection to more Android users later this year.
Has Google shown that the programs reduce scam losses?
No results are included in the announcement. Google describes planned and existing programs, but does not provide measured changes in scam exposure or financial losses.
How large are the reported regional scam losses?
Google cites a recent UN report that estimated up to $114.1 billion USD in losses in 2025 across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The source does not provide the report’s methodology or further detail on the estimate.
Source: blog.google
