Announcing the Anti-Scams Philanthropy Collaborative

Washington, D.C., July 28th, 2026 – Today, Aspen Digital, a program of the Aspen Institute, Google.org, Dalberg, Asian Development Bank (ADB), craig newmark philanthropies, JPMorganChase, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Vodafone Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation are announcing the Anti-Scams Philanthropy Collaborative. Marking a first-of-its-kind global philanthropic collaboration, this initiative introduces a joint approach to share knowledge, identify, fund, and scale innovative solutions designed to prevent scams and support the world’s most vulnerable populations.

The founding members of the coalition represent a total commitment of $50+ million dedicated to combating scams and frauds worldwide.

The global financial cost of scams is estimated to exceed $442 billion annually, with financial losses expected to increase as malicious, international actors leverage emerging technologies, including fast-developing agentic AI. As online platforms and mobile connectivity expand, increasingly sophisticated scams will affect everyone. Yet, those with potential for highest harm if targeted will be those least equipped to identify and respond to them – including older adults, young people, first-time internet users, displaced populations, and communities with lower levels of digital literacy. 

Existing efforts lack wider public awareness, while innovative solutions can be difficult to scale. The Collaborative aims to scale innovative solutions designed to reach vulnerable geographies and populations worldwide that are impacted the most.

The Anti-Scams Philanthropy Collaborative represents a pioneering philanthropic model designed to coordinate and deploy philanthropic funding to mobilize partners across technology, finance, government, and civil society. The Collaborative will leverage philanthropic dollars and partnerships to enhance and help strengthen scam prevention, detection, and disruption; support scam victims; and anticipate the future evolution of scams. It also complements existing efforts, testing innovative solutions in an initial set of markets representing a range of scam landscapes to inform operational playbooks and rapidly scale what works, regionally and globally. 

“Defeating today’s highly sophisticated scam networks requires a fundamental shift from a fragmented response to a coordinated, global defense,” said Rowan Barnett, Director, Google.org – APAC, EMEA & Global Stronger Communities. “Philanthropy has a key role to play, and we as funders must come together to match the speed and scale of these rapidly evolving threats. By initiating and anchoring this Collaborative, we want to ensure civil society and frontline defenders have the resources and advanced technologies they need to protect the world’s most vulnerable communities.”

“The Anti-Scams Philanthropy Collaborative represents a vital step forward in addressing the defining challenge of modern digital fraud,” said Vivian Schiller, Vice President and Executive Director of Aspen Digital at the Aspen Institute. “By convening philanthropies to anticipate future threats and scale innovative solutions, we hope to enable governments and private sector partners to more effectively deploy tools to disrupt scams worldwide.”

The Collaborative’s first initiatives will focus on:

• Building Smarter Defenses: Promoting advanced, AI-driven tools and shared infrastructure to prevent, detect, and disrupt scams. 
• Strengthening Scam Resilience: Equipping vulnerable communities with the knowledge, confidence, and support to recognize, report, and recover from scams, while strengthening the capacity of community organizations, policymakers, regulators, law enforcement, and frontline services that support them.
• Anticipating Future Threats: Developing forward-looking threat intelligence building early warning systems and stress testing defenses to enhance global readiness for the next generation of emerging scams.

If your organization would like to support the Anti-Scams Philanthropy Collaborative by committing funding, technical capacity, or operational reach to protect the world’s most vulnerable populations, please contact Dalberg, who are supporting collaborative operations and coordination at antiscams.collab@dalberg.com for further information.

Aspen Digital

Aspen Digital is a program of the Aspen Institute, convenes thinkers and doers to anticipate how our world is changing in the age of AI. We find signal in the noise, elevate thoughtful ideas, and inspire collaboration across industry, government, and civil society to shape solutions that work for all. To learn more, visit aspendigital.org or email aspendigital@aspeninstitute.org.

Google.org

Google.org applies Google’s innovation, research, and resources to promote progress and expand opportunity for everyone. For more information, visit www.google.org.

Dalberg

Dalberg is a global group working to build a more inclusive and sustainable world by serving those who serve the world. Bringing together strategy advisory, human-centered design, data analytics, research, and communications, we help governments, foundations, and companies engage with complex social and environmental challenges and shape practical solutions that create lasting impact. To learn more, visit dalberg.com or email press@dalberg.com. 

Asian Development Bank

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.

craig newmark philanthropies

Craig Newmark is a Web pioneer best known for creating craigslist, which he stepped away from running day-to-day two decades ago. Craig’s full-time philanthropic work focuses on supporting organizations protecting America’s security and democracy. He has given more than $500 million in support of veterans and military families, nonpartisan journalism, cyber security education programs, hunger relief, and pigeon rescue. Craig was influenced by his Sunday School teachers who escaped the Holocaust, set his moral compass, and taught him to treat people like you want to be treated – and how to know when enough is enough. He’s not as funny as he thinks he is.

JPMorganChase

JPMorganChase (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorganChase had $5.0 trillion in assets and $375 billion in stockholders’ equity as of June 30, 2026. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth  

The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. The Center leverages the company’s core assets and competencies, including data insights, expertise, and technology, while administering the philanthropic Mastercard Impact Fund, to produce independent research, scale global programs, and empower a community of thinkers, leaders, and doers on the front lines of inclusive growth. For more information and to receive its latest insights, follow the Center on LinkedIn, Instagram and subscribe to its newsletter.

Vodafone Foundation

Vodafone Foundation uses Vodafone’s technology, people and philanthropy to support those impacted by health or humanitarian crises, abuse and the digital divide. Driven by a purpose to connect for good so no one is left behind, Vodafone Foundation works with partners across its global footprint to deliver programmes that create safety, inclusion and opportunity for everyone. www.vodafonefoundation.org.

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a nonpartisan charitable foundation that invests in creative thinkers and problem solvers working to ensure people, communities, and the planet can flourish. Together with our partners, we are harnessing society’s collective capacity to solve our toughest problems. Learn more at hewlett.org.