THE region’s rapid digital expansion is creating new openings for cybercriminals, urging governments, regulators, law enforcement and private companies to join forces to protect young people online.
The head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Pacific office told Youth delegates at the Pacific Youth Digital Resilience Forum that digital technologies have transformed the way Pacific communities connect, learn, work and access financial services, bringing real gains in inclusion and entrepreneurship.
“The same tools are also being used to target users with scams, phishing, fake investment schemes and increasingly sophisticated social engineering,” she said.
“Digital technologies are transforming how people connect, learn, work and access financial services.
“But these same technologies also create new opportunities for cyber crime.”
She singled out young people as a growing target, warning they are being drawn in by fraudulent offers and manipulated through deepfakes and artificial intelligence-enabled deception.
“Young people are increasingly at the forefront of these risks,” she said, adding that cybercriminals are exploiting “trust and curiosity” through online scams that promise guaranteed returns or seek to steal personal information.
Cauchois said the UNODC works with countries around the world to prevent and combat cybercrime, while helping strengthen the legal, policy and institutional frameworks needed to respond to emerging digital threats.
“Cyber crime does not stop at border, neither should be our response,” she said, calling for national and cross-border cooperation.
Cauchois said the response must involve “government, regulators, law enforcement, also civil society, private sector, and communities” working together.
Her remarks came as Pacific governments and partners gather for two days of discussions focused on helping young people navigate the digital world more safely. The agenda includes blockchain, legal frameworks, online safety and victim support networks.
Cauchois said the purpose of the forum was practical as much as educational: to give young people “the knowledge, confidence, and practical skill” to use digital tools responsibly and to recognise manipulation before they become victims.
“When you leave this forum, it doesn’t stop there as well,” she said.
“We hope you will take these lessons back to your schools, your workplace, families and communities, and spread the word.”
Her advice reflects a broader concern across the Pacific, where faster internet access and growing use of digital finance are opening new opportunities, but also exposing users to a more complex online threat environment.
Cauchois added that the region’s digital resilience will depend on partnerships, awareness, and practical education, especially for younger users, who are most likely to encounter online fraud.
“We hope that the forum would “inspire new ideas, strengthen partnership, and empower all of us to contribute to a safer, more secure, and more digitally resilient Pacific.”
