PHL firms told to prepare for rise in AI-driven scams

PHILIPPINE ORGANIZATIONS face a higher risk of scams driven by artificial intelligence (AI) this year and should strengthen intelligence-led cybersecurity and employee awareness to limit exposure, according to Trend Micro.

“In 2026, cybercriminal tactics will increasingly be driven by AI and automation,” Trend Micro Philippines Country Manager Ian V. Felipe said in an e-mailed reply to questions.

Autonomous or agentic AI systems are expected to make fraud campaigns more targeted, persuasive, and scalable, according to the cybersecurity software firm’s 2026 Scam Predictions report. These tools let attackers automate scam creation, social engineering and fraud execution with limited human oversight, Mr. Felipe said.

Trend Micro expects phishing, impersonation scams and payment-related fraud to continue rising, often paired with malware infections or account takeover attempts.

Organizations with digital customer touchpoints such as online payment systems, customer service platforms and cloud-based applications are likely to face the highest exposure.

“While the Philippines shares many of the same risk factors as other Asia-Pacific countries, including reliance on hybrid environments and digital platforms, its growth in digital adoption has made proactive cybersecurity a strategic imperative,” Mr. Felipe said.

The company also warned that Philippine organizations would remain targets of advanced persistent threats this year, particularly those handling sensitive data or connected to national and economic infrastructure.

“Any organization with a significant digital footprint, reliance on cloud or hybrid environments or exposure to regional and global networks should consider itself a potential target and take a proactive, intelligence-driven approach to security,” he added.

Other scam types expected to persist include multi-channel fraud, relationship and investment scams, instant payment fraud and delivery- and billing-related schemes, according to Trend Micro.

Scammers are also expected to time attacks around major events such as natural disasters, layoffs and elections to increase credibility and success rates.

Trend Micro estimates that global losses from scams reached $442 billion in 2024, underscoring the scale of the threat as AI-driven techniques become more accessible and sophisticated.

The firm said organizations that combine technical defenses with employee awareness programs would be better positioned to limit risk as scam tactics continue to evolve. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz