Text scams have shifted to online apps, Globe warns

MANILA, Philippines — Mobile giant Globe Telecom Inc. has warned that digital fraud is thriving in messaging channels and from overseas numbers, both of which are not covered by the regulations of SIM registration.

Globe will send representatives to the Sept. 5 hearing of the Senate on the proliferation of text scams and the reported use of SIMs for illegal operations.

Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo said that cases of online fraud, particularly text scams, remain prevalent in spaces unregulated by SIM registration.

For instance, Castelo said malicious players send out their messaging scams through over-the-top apps. Messaging apps like Telegram, Viber and WhatsApp may be accessed by anyone, even by individuals whose mobile numbers are unregistered with their telco provider.

Likewise, Castelo said criminal groups shifted to the use of foreign SIMs in reaching out to their targets. With this, they can contact their potential victims without getting tracked by authorities, as the mobile number used falls outside the scope of the SIM Registration Act.

“We are ready to work with the Senate in responding to the prevalence of spam and scam SMS, with fraudsters circumventing the SIM Registration Act with new ways to bait potential victims,” Castelo said.

Globe, for its part, is raising its cybersecurity walls to ensure the safety and security of everyone in its subscriber base.

For the first semester, Globe blocked around 2.2 billion messages that were found to be linked in the spread of scam attempts.

Meanwhile, Globe chief sustainability and corporate communications officer Yoly Crisanto said subscribers should be vigilant against the reemergence of digital fraud. She asked consumers to refrain from sharing personal and sensitive details on online platforms.

“Just as we learn how to optimize these new technologies, fraudsters also do the same and come up with ingenious ways to corrupt the best technologies for criminal ends. We, therefore, appeal to mobile users to also take personal responsibility in protecting themselves,” Crisanto said.