We need holistic a counter-attack vs text scammers
September 26, 2023We need holistic a counter-attack vs text scammers
Statement of CitizenWatch Philippines
Selling registered SIM cards has serious repercussions. CitizenWatch Philippines enjoins mobile phone users to join the fight against text scammers.
Despite the implementation of the SIM (subscriber identity module) Card Registration Law and the expiration of the extended deadline to register all SIM card users, text scammers continue to target millions of mobile phone users, employing increasingly creative and deceptive tactics in their fraudulent schemes.
These scammers have mastered the art of deception and have even applied Filipino social nuances to convincingly impersonate banks or e-payment platforms to propagate their fraudulent financial schemes. This alarming revelation underscores the audacity and sophistication of these illicit operations.
According to telcos, online scammers are now using over-the-top (OTT) messaging and SIM cards issued by international telecom providers as a way to circumvent the law. Reports on 107,000 SIM cards captured in Pogo hubs that were being used for “text” and “love” scam operations shows that there are criminal syndicates behind these text scamming operations.
The National Telecommunications Commission’s Memorandum Order No. 010-09-20231establishinhg stringent guidelines for the validation of SIM registration, including the verification of IDs and details provided by SIM users.
Undersecretary Alexander Ramos of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has revealed that foreign cybercrime groups are at the helm of these scams, with some even procuring pre-registered SIM cards. In response, the CICC activated its free hotline 1326 to receive reports of suspicious calls or texts.
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has warned the public that the sale of their registered SIM cards is not just unethical, but outright illegal. Those found guilty of this offense will face the full force of the law, with severe penalties awaiting them.
Beyond more stringent policies and guidelines, we must approach this wave of cybercrimes holistically wherein the government, the telco industry, and all mobile phone users must actively fight text scammers.
The government and the telco industry can join forces in launching a systemic counter-attack against this cyberscam ecosystem while the public is constantly warned and educated on how to act against text scams.
Atty. Christopher “Kit” Belmonte
Co-convneor