INTERPOL Warns Phishing, Ransomware, and AI Scams Are Rising Across Asia-Pacific

INTERPOL’s regional assessment warns of sharply rising cybercrime across Asia and the South Pacific driven by rapid digitalization, organized criminal networks, and uneven cybersecurity maturity: phishing has become the most widespread and damaging threat (many countries reported >10,000 cases), the region saw over 135,000 ransomware incidents in 2024, and criminals increasingly leverage RaaS, AI personas and deepfakes for large-scale scams, extortion, credential theft, and DDoS attacks—impacting businesses (real estate, manufacturing, finance), individuals, and public-sector resilience.