TL;DR
Get comfort and recovery gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Google announced $6 million in funding for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute to support scam-resilience work in Asia Pacific. The company also described Android protections, industry coordination and plans to expand its Be Scam Ready educational game to five more countries. The announcement does not specify the funding breakdown, project timelines or measurable targets.
Google announced $6 million in funding for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute to support efforts to help individuals and small businesses in Asia Pacific respond to online scams. The announcement is part of a wider set of measures the company outlined, including Android security features, industry cooperation and scam-awareness training.
Google said the funded work will include training for local communities on scam resilience, development of AI-powered defense prototypes and research to give policymakers information for strengthening responses to threats. The company did not provide a breakdown of how the $6 million will be divided between the two organizations or the individual projects.
The company also said it is expanding Be Scam Ready, an educational game that simulates common scams, to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Google said the game is already available in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan and is a resource within the ASEAN Foundation’s Scam Ready ASEAN initiative.
On products, Google described Android’s Fake Call Detection, designed to identify AI-driven phone impersonation, and scam alerts on Pixel devices for messages from popular apps. It said it plans to bring the Pixel detection capability to additional Android users later this year. Google also said it is expanding developer verification for Android apps distributed outside Google Play.
Funding Local Scam Defenses
The announcement links consumer-facing technology with training and coordination, addressing scams that can move across platforms and national borders. The funding may support local organizations and policymakers as they adapt guidance to languages, services and fraud patterns in their communities; the company has not yet published outcome measures to show how the work will affect scam exposure or losses.
Google cited a recent United Nations report estimating that scam losses in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand reached up to $114.1 billion in 2025. The source material also says more than 40% of ASEAN consumers were reported to have experienced scams, but does not provide the survey method or define the period covered. These figures underline the scale of the problem as reported, while leaving important details about measurement and comparability unspecified.
For users, the practical relevance depends partly on which protections reach their devices and when. Google’s announcement describes planned expansion, not universal availability. Community training and simulations may offer another route to recognizing fraud, but their reach and effect will depend on implementation and evaluation.
Products Worth Considering
Ring Alarm Pro 8-Piece Kit with Built-In eero Wi-Fi 6 Router
TCL 65 Inch QM8L Series SQD-Mini LED QLED 4K Smart Google TV
Ring Alarm Pro 14-Piece Home Security Kit with Built-In eero Wi-Fi 6 Router
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Products and Partnerships Already Underway
Google framed the funding as an addition to existing local and regional efforts. It said it has supported Bamboo Builders in Singapore and the Taiwan FactCheck Center in delivering locally tailored training. It also pointed to Scam Ready ASEAN, an ASEAN Foundation initiative that provides scam-prevention resources.
At the industry level, Google said it signed the Industry Accord Against Online Scams and Fraud with other companies earlier this year. It also said it helped establish the Japan Anti-Scam Alliance, intended to support coordinated defenses among public and private institutions. Separately, Google.org helped launch the Global Anti-Scams Philanthropy Collaborative, which the company described as a forum for coordinating philanthropic action across industries.
The report presents these initiatives as complementary parts of a response: product safeguards, shared threat information and community education. The details and commitments of other signatories or partners are not included in the supplied account.
“Tackling these highly organized networks requires a unified effort.”
Funding Scope and Rollout Details
The announcement does not specify how the $6 million will be allocated, when each funded activity will begin, how many people or businesses are expected to take part, or how results will be measured. It also does not explain which AI-powered prototypes may be developed or whether they will be released for public use.
Google says Fake Call Detection is designed to identify AI-driven impersonation, but the supplied material gives no details on testing, limitations, supported regions or accuracy. The timing and eligible devices for bringing Pixel scam detection to more Android users are also unspecified beyond the phrase “later this year.” It is unclear how quickly the five new country versions of Be Scam Ready will become available.
The loss estimate and ASEAN consumer figure are attributed in Google’s report to a UN report and reported findings, respectively. The material provided does not identify the studies’ methods, definitions or underlying data, so those figures should not be read as a complete measure of scams across the region.
Rollout and Program Results
Google says it will extend Be Scam Ready to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and bring Pixel’s scam-detection capability to additional Android users later this year. The company has not supplied specific launch dates. The funded organizations are expected to carry out community training, develop defense prototypes and provide policymakers with relevant insights, though the announcement gives no schedule or public reporting framework.
Further details on participating communities, the distribution of funds and the evaluation of results would clarify the scale of the work. For now, the announcement establishes Google’s commitments and plans; their reach and effect remain to be demonstrated.
Key Questions
What did Google announce?
Google announced $6 million in funding for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute to support scam-resilience work in Asia Pacific, alongside product, industry and education initiatives.
Which countries are getting the Be Scam Ready game?
Google said it plans to expand the game to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. It said the game is already available in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.
What scam protections did Google describe for Android?
Google described Fake Call Detection for identifying AI-driven phone impersonation and scam alerts on Pixel devices for messages from popular apps. It said Pixel’s detection feature is planned for additional Android users later this year; precise availability details were not provided.
How will the $6 million be used?
Google said the work will include community training, AI-powered defense prototypes and insights for policymakers. It did not publish a funding breakdown, project schedule or specific performance targets.
Source: blog.google
