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Google says it will provide $6 million to The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute for scam-resilience work in Asia Pacific. The announcement also outlines Android protections, industry partnerships and an expansion of Google’s Be Scam Ready educational game; detailed schedules and outcome measures were not provided.
Google announced $6 million in funding for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute to support scam prevention and online safety in Asia Pacific, as the company described expanded device protections and partnerships against fraud. The plans target individuals and small businesses through community training, development of AI-powered defense prototypes and policy research, although Google did not provide a schedule or specific measures for judging the programs’ results.
Google said the funded work will train local communities to build resilience to scams, support the incubation of AI-powered defense prototypes and provide policymakers with insights to strengthen measures against fraud. The announcement does not break down how the $6 million will be divided between the two organizations or give a timeline for spending it.
The company also described protections already introduced or planned for its products. Google said Android launched Fake Call Detection this year to identify potential AI-driven phone impersonation. On Pixel devices, built-in scam detection can flag potential scams in several popular messaging apps, and Google said it plans to bring the protection to more Android users later this year. It is also expanding Android developer verification for apps distributed outside Google Play.
Google said it joined industry peers in signing the Industry Accord Against Online Scams and Fraud earlier this year and recently helped establish the Japan Anti-Scam Alliance. Separately, Google.org helped launch a global philanthropy collaborative focused on anti-scam work. The company also plans to expand its Be Scam Ready educational game to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam; Google said it is already available in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.
How the Funding Could Help Communities
The announcement combines technology measures with community education and coordination, reflecting Google’s view that scams cannot be addressed through product changes alone. Training may help people recognize common approaches, while information-sharing agreements and partnerships are intended to align responses across companies and public institutions.
The regional scale cited by Google helps explain the focus. The company referred to a recent UN report estimating that scam losses across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand reached up to $114.1 billion in 2025. It also said more than 40% of ASEAN consumers were reported to have experienced scams. These figures describe the regions and populations specified in the source; they do not establish how much the new programs will reduce losses.
For readers, the practical impact will depend on where programs are delivered, whether protections reach more devices and how well the measures work against changing fraud tactics. Google’s announcement sets out planned support and product activity, not independent evidence of reduced scam activity.
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Google’s Existing Regional Programs
The funding builds on Google.org support for local organizations, including Bamboo Builders in Singapore and the Taiwan FactCheck Center, which Google said provide specialized, locally tailored training. The company also connected the new work to Scam Ready ASEAN, an initiative of the ASEAN Foundation that it says is bringing online scam-prevention resources to millions of people in the region.
Be Scam Ready is one resource used by Scam Ready ASEAN. Google describes it as an educational game that simulates common scams to help participants prepare for them. The announced expansion adds five countries to the three locations where Google says the game is currently available. The company’s report presents the work as part of a broader mix of consumer-facing safeguards, industry coordination and community programs.
““Tackling these highly organized networks requires a unified effort.””
Funding Details and Results Still Pending
Google has not specified how the $6 million will be allocated, how long the funded work will run or which communities will receive training first. The announcement also provides no targets for participation, prototype deployment or reductions in scam exposure and losses.
Details about the Android expansion are limited: Google said it would reach additional users later this year but did not name a release date, eligible devices or countries. The source likewise does not explain how developer verification will operate across app distribution channels, or provide technical performance data for Fake Call Detection and messaging-app alerts.
The cited loss and consumer-experience figures are attributed to a UN report in Google’s account, but the announcement does not provide the report’s title, methods or uncertainty ranges. They should be read as figures reported by Google, not as an evaluation of the effectiveness of the newly announced initiatives.
Program Rollouts and Android Expansion
Google says the next steps include carrying out the funded work with The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute, expanding Be Scam Ready into five additional countries and bringing Pixel scam detection to more Android users later this year. The company has not published dates for those rollouts or a public reporting schedule for the funding.
Future updates would clarify the programs’ reach, how prototypes are tested and whether partners report measurable changes in scam awareness or exposure. Until those details are available, the confirmed development is the funding announcement and Google’s description of its planned and ongoing efforts, rather than evidence that regional scam rates have fallen.
Key Questions
What did Google announce?
Google announced $6 million for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute to support scam resilience for individuals and small businesses in Asia Pacific.
What will the funded work support?
Google says it will support community training, the incubation of AI-powered defense prototypes and insights for policymakers. It has not disclosed the funding split or project schedule.
Which countries are getting the Be Scam Ready game?
Google plans to expand the game to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The company says it is already available in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.
When will more Android users get scam detection?
Google said it plans to bring Pixel’s messaging-app scam detection to additional Android users later this year. It did not give an exact release date or list of supported devices and countries.
Has Google shown that these initiatives have reduced scams?
No outcome data were included in the announcement. Google described funding, partnerships and product plans, but did not report that they have reduced scam losses or exposure.
Source: blog.google
