18/06/2026
CYBERCRIME IS RISING IN OUR REGION — HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
INTERPOL just released its 2025/2026 Cyber Threat Assessment for Asia and the Pacific — and the numbers are real. 📊
Here's what's happening across our region right now 👇
🎯 #1 threat: Online scams & phishing
Fake messages, fake links, fake "you've won!" texts. Still the #1 way people get caught out.
💻 Malware that steals your info
Sneaky software hides in pirated apps, fake updates, and dodgy downloads — quietly stealing passwords and banking details.
🔒 Ransomware is locking up systems
Over 135,000 ransomware attacks hit our region in 2024 alone — even hitting government services elsewhere.
🤖 AI scams are next-level
Deepfake videos. Fake voices. Fake "CEOs" on video calls asking for money transfers. AI is making scams more convincing than ever.
💔 Romance scams are booming
Fake online "relationships" built to drain your savings — generating billions in losses regionally.
So what can YOU do? ✅
✔️ Stop. Think. Verify — before you click, before you send money, before you trust a stranger online.
✔️ If a deal sounds too good, or someone online is moving too fast — pause.
✔️ Never share OTPs, passwords, or banking details with anyone.
✔️ Talk to your family, especially elderly relatives — scammers target them too.
📞 Something feels wrong? Report it:
Fiji Police Cybercrime Unit — 1681
Online Safety Commission
You're not alone in this. Awareness is our first line of defence.
🚨 New INTERPOL report highlights escalating cyber threats across Asia and South Pacific
INTERPOL’s latest Asia and South Pacific Cyberthreat Assessment Report has revealed a dramatic increase in cybercrime across the region driven by rapid digitalization, new technologies and increasingly organized criminal networks.
➡️ The report found that more than half of the countries surveyed reported cybercrime now accounting for 30% of all crimes recorded nationally.
Cyber-scam techniques such as phishing have emerged as the most widespread and financially damaging form of cybercrime, with 33% of countries reporting over 10,000 cases.
Other key regional trends highlighted include:
🔵 Ransomware: More than 135,000 ransomware-related attacks, affecting sectors such as real estate, manufacturing and financial services.
🔵 DDoS attacks: A 92% increase in 2024 compared to the previous year.
🔵 AI-driven crime: Discussions about deepfakes on forums and channels popular among Southeast Asian threat actors increased by 600% from February to June 2024.
🔵 Phishing: 5.5 out of every 1,000 individuals had clicked on phishing links monthly – approximately twice the global average – with cloud applications the primary targets.
🔵 Data breaches: System intrusions accounted for approximately 80% of all data breaches, with malware and ransomware present in 83% and 51% of cases respectively.
🔗 Read more: https://www.interpol.int/News-and-Events/News/2026/New-INTERPOL-report-highlights-escalating-cyber-threats-across-Asia-and-South-Pacific
