Telcos heed NTC order on text scams

MANILA, Philippines - Telecommunication firms are ready to implement National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) directive requiring them to produce video and audio clips to warn the public of text scams.

“We will comply with the NTC order as part of our continuing efforts to inform our subscribers regarding the dangers posed by various scammers,” Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Smart Communications, Inc. spokesperson Ramon Isberto said in a text message.

For her part, Yolanda Crisanto, head of corporate communications at Globe Telecom, Inc. said the company has been implementing public advisory programs even before the memorandum was released.

“As part of our sustainability practice, we come up with education campaigns to help our customers deal with the various text scams and spams. As early as 2013, we have ran TV campaigns in collaboration with ABS-CBN, radio announcements and launched stop scam campaigns online,” she said in a text message.

As part of Globe’s campaign, the firm has blocked a total of 30.8 million spam and scam text messages through its automated filtering mechanism.

The automated filtering mechanism prevents the transmittal of scam messages to mobile devices.

The mechanism was launched by Globe in October last year.

The NTC memorandum dated Sept. 7 mandated the telco firms to produce 30-second and 15-second video and audio clips to educate and properly warn subscribers against text scams.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said the (telcos) were given a period of 30 calendar days from receipt of the memorandum to produce these public service video and audio materials.

Last week, the NTC also issued a memorandum requesting telcos to send text messages from Sept. 8 to 22, to inform their respective subscribers of proliferating text scams.

The actions being taken by NTC follow recommendations made during last week’s public hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services chaired by Senator Cynthia Villar.

During the hearing, Villar said the NTC has failed to put a stop to the text scams which have victimized the public including the senator’s Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance Foundation.