From click to scam: why the entire ecosystem must act

Scam advertising is no longer limited to isolated fake ads. Increasingly, scams evolve through a broader “scam journey”: what may begin with a simple click on an online advertisement can rapidly lead consumers across messaging apps, cloned websites, impersonation techniques, payment systems and off-platform environments before financial harm ultimately occurs.

The “scam journey” perspective became one of the important structuring elements in the discussions because it helps explain why scams can no longer be addressed through isolated interventions alone. Fraudulent activity increasingly evolves dynamically across multiple actors, technologies and environments, often moving rapidly from advertising exposure to messaging services, cloned websites, impersonation techniques, payment systems and other off-platform interactions before harm materializes. This perspective also highlights that each participant in the ecosystem only sees part of the overall pathway, reinforcing the need for better coordination, information-sharing and proportionate cooperation across the system.

This broader perspective helped shape the recent discussions within ICC. It was progressively developed through exchanges coordinated within the ICC Belgium Marketing & Advertising Committee chaired by Ivan Vandermeersch in his capacity as Honorary Secretary-General of BAM an inspired by the initial contributions of Karine Ysebrant on AI, digital trust and evolving fraud dynamics, which helped introduce and further articulate this ecosystem-based reading of scam advertising within the broader discussions.

One conclusion clearly emerged from the discussions: no single actor can solve this issue alone.

Platforms, advertisers, agencies, financial institutions, regulators and self-regulatory organisations each see only part of the problem. Effective scam prevention therefore increasingly depends on coordinated ecosystem action, rapid information-sharing and proportionate responsibilities across the system. Without stronger cooperation between platforms, advertisers, agencies, financial actors, regulators and self-regulatory organizations, fragmented responses risk leaving critical gaps that scammers can continue to exploit.

This is why the Belgian contribution was built through a broad consultation process involving different stakeholders from the ecosystem, including:

• the Raad voor Reclame / JEP;
• EASA;
• FEDMA;
• Febelfin;
• agencies and other experts active on AI, privacy and digital trust.

The contribution of Febelfin was particularly important in highlighting how fraud increasingly originates outside the banking sector itself, including through social media environments, telecommunications systems and online advertising.

The discussions also stressed that agencies are part of the solution but cannot carry the burden alone. Scam prevention requires coordinated action across the ecosystem, with each actor contributing according to its role and visibility.

Another important point concerns the growing impact of AI and deepfakes. Scam techniques are evolving rapidly, which means that responses also need to remain flexible, operational and adaptable.

For BAM members, this discussion matters directly. Scam advertising and digital fraud undermine consumer trust, create reputational risks and affect the credibility and effectiveness of legitimate digital marketing activities. This is why participating in these discussions is directly linked to BAM’s Meaningful Marketing approach, which is built on long-term trust, responsible practices and sustainable relationships between brands, consumers and society.

Participating early in these discussions therefore helps ensure that emerging approaches remain practical, proportionate and aligned with business realities. For BAM, this work is fully aligned with the Meaningful Marketing approach. Trust, responsibility and consumer confidence are essential conditions for a sustainable digital ecosystem.

The discussions within ICC are still ongoing, but one lesson is already becoming clear: in a rapidly evolving digital environment, sustainable progress increasingly depends on collective effort and ecosystem cooperation.

Alone, actors may go fast. Together, the ecosystem can go further.