SINGAPORE, 14 June 2024 – In a significant move to safeguard consumers from the rising threat of online fraud, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) has inaugurated its first Asia chapter in Singapore. Leveraging Singapore’s strategic role as a regional hub, the Singapore Chapter aims to extend GASA’s global mission by fostering a robust local network across technology, finance, and academia.
Establishment of the Singapore Chapter
The Singapore Chapter, spearheaded by Mastercard (Chair) and Amazon (Vice-Chair), includes prominent members such as TikTok, Feedzai, Google, Grab, HSBC, Mediacorp, Meta, NTU, NUS, OCBC, Rajah & Tann Technologies, Standard Chartered, ST Engineering, and Trend Micro. This collective effort is essential for addressing the escalating issue of online scams through shared expertise and best practices.
Rajat Maheshwari, Chairman of GASA Singapore Chapter and Vice President of Cyber & Intelligence at Mastercard, stated, “Cybercrime continues to grow aggressively around the world, and a unified approach is key to fighting scams and protecting consumers. The formation of the first Asia chapter of GASA in Singapore not only demonstrates the industry’s willingness to collaborate against cyber fraud, but also showcases Singapore’s success in fostering public-private cooperation to advance national initiatives. Mastercard is honoured to serve as the inaugural Chair of GASA Singapore Chapter, a commitment that underscores the company’s unwavering focus on strengthening the collective resilience against frauds and scams, and safeguarding trust in the digital ecosystem for everyone’s benefit.”
Rising Threat of Online Scams
The urgency of GASA’s mission is underscored by the 2023 Asia Scam Report, which reveals that over 60% of Asians face at least one scam weekly. In Singapore, scam cases surged by 46.8% from 31,728 in 2022 to 46,563 in 2023, according to the Singapore Police Force. These alarming statistics highlight the need for continuous consumer education through public awareness campaigns to help people, especially vulnerable groups, recognize and avoid scams.
Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, who serves as GASA Singapore’s patron, remarked, “Tackling scams requires a Whole-of-Society approach and the involvement of industry stakeholders is crucial. Through a deeper public-private collaboration, we can improve the sharing of information on trends and emerging scam techniques, and test out new ideas that can better safeguard consumers. In this respect, we welcome the establishment of the Singapore Chapter of GASA and look forward to this partnership and what we can achieve together.”
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Upcoming Initiatives
GASA Singapore has outlined several initiatives, including the Global Anti-Scam Summit Asia later this year, and various national consumer protection activities such as education and awareness outreach, and fraud research. The chapter is also preparing for the 2nd Anti-Scam Asia Summit in October 2024, which will gather regional stakeholders to discuss the latest trends in digital scams and develop strategies to combat them.
Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of GASA, emphasized the importance of global collaboration, saying, “It’s essential that we continue to grow our network globally through new chapters and partnerships. This allows us to share insights, foster solutions, and ultimately, build a more resilient ecosystem against scams. I encourage organisations worldwide to join us in this vital mission. Together, we can make a substantial impact in protecting consumers everywhere.”
About GASA
GASA’s mission is to protect consumers worldwide from scams by raising awareness, providing practical tools, facilitating knowledge sharing, organizing research, and offering training and education. Interested organizations can join the GASA Singapore Chapter by visiting GASA Singapore Chapter.
For more information on the flagship GASA Summit in Brussels on 24-25 June 2024, please visit GASA Global Anti-Scam Summit Europe 2024.
About Amazon
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