Meta targets AI-driven scams in Asia

Report highlights cross-border fraud across Apac, writes Wassayos Ngamkham

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Meta has released its latest Adversarial Threat Report, outlining large-scale efforts to combat online scams across the Asia-Pacific (Apac) region and address the growing threat of Al-enabled criminal activity, while working closely with law enforcement agencies in multiple countries.

In an exclusive Zoom interview with the Bangkok Post from the United States, David Agranovich, Meta’s Director of Security Policy, said the company’s biannual report highlights major global developments in scams, influence operations and abuses increasingly driven by artificial intelligence.

‘A key focus of the report is the dismantling of criminal networks, many originating from Cambodia, that impersonated government officials and police to defraud victims across Apac, including Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The report also underscores the growing scale and sophistication of cross-border scam networks in the region. According to Meta, operations have expanded significantly in both size and complexity, with criminals increasingly attempting to move victims onto encrypted messaging apps and alternative payment channels. They use stolen or fabricated identities designed to appear locally credible, while scaling their operations through scripted playbooks and automation.