Samantha Kight, GSMA: Why mobile scams are bigger than drugs - Ctrl Alt Lead podcast

Organised crime, AI and legacy networks are reshaping mobile fraud. Here’s what you can do about it

Mobile scams have shifted from a nuisance to a global, industrialised criminal enterprise.

Speaking in the latest episode of Ctrl Alt Lead, Samantha Kight, Head of Industry Security at the GSMA, explains how organised crime groups are increasingly turning to scams because they are “more lucrative than the drugs trade” – and how AI is accelerating that trend.

Artificial intelligence has changed the cybersecurity game, and mobile is no exception; the last year has been less about new threats and more about acceleration. Generative AI has made phishing, smishing and voice scams cheaper, easier and more convincing at scale. Combined with the widespread use of smartphones and uneven levels of digital literacy, attackers are finding it easier than ever to manipulate people rather than breach systems

Asia-Pacific has emerged as a particular hotspot, partly due to the continued use of 2G and 3G networks and lower regulatory barriers in parts of Southeast Asia. However, this has also driven greater collaboration in the region – a trend that has to be central to defence globally.

Cross-industry defence is a key theme Samantha returned to. The GSMA is working with banks on real-time “scam signal” indicators, while also collaborating with organisations like Interpol and the Global Anti-Scam Alliance. New initiatives like open verifiable calling aim to rebuild trust in the mobile ecosystem by ramping caller ID up to 11.

When it comes to protecting your staff and business, the advice is pragmatic: focus on basic hygiene, layered defences and early detection. But don’t forget about information sharing, either: the attackers certainly aren’t.

Mobile devices are the most used and most targeted device in our personal and professional lives. Defending against scams is no longer optional, and no single industry can do it alone.

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