3 days Ago By Claudine Flores
WITH spending expected to surge this holiday season, the police have warned about cybercriminals targeting individuals to steal money, potentially causing significant financial harm. The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) reported that text scams are now being integrated into legitimate message threads. In an interview with SunStar Cebu’s online news and commentary program “Beyond the Headlines” on Thursday, Dec.
19, 2024, Police Lt. Wallen Mae Arancillo, public information officer of the PNP-ACG, said fraudulent short message service (SMS) texts are now appearing within genuine conversations, making it harder for account holders to differentiate between real and fake messages. Arancillo also advised mobile phone users to remain cautious of messages containing links that appear to be from banks or financial institutions, as these may be indicative of a spoofing scam.
“Spoofing scam ay ito po yung uri ng scam na gumagamit ng phishing links sa texts scams, ito po yung may legit na thread (A spoofing scam is a type of scam that uses phishing links in text scams; it involves legitimate looking threads),” Arancillo said. “For example, sa e-wallet, meron kayong legit na conversation dati and then magtataka ka nalang na may naisingit doon na link na pinapa-click (For example, in an e-wallet, you might have had a legitimate conversation before, and then you’ll suddenly notice that a link has been inserted there, asking you to click on it),” she added. Spoofing happens when a cybercriminal changes details like an email address, phone number, or website URL to make it look like the message is from someone a victim trusts.
Arancillo said that in a spoofing attack, an individual might get an email that looks like it’s from a company they know, but it’s actually from a scammer. The goal is to make the victim think the message is real, so he or she might download harmful software, send money, or share private information. Arancillo highlighted that poverty continues to be a major driving factor behind the increase in cybercrime, particularly spoofing and phishing schemes.
While cybercriminals in the country can be anyone, according to Arancillo, the tactics of their illicit activities often rely on the exploitation of vulnerable individuals who are lured into disclosing personal details under pretenses. Decline Meanwhile, Arancillo said the number of recorded cybercrime cases in the Philippines has significantly decreased compared to the previous year, according to recent reports from the PNP ACG. As of December 2024, there have been 14,161 cases reported, a notable drop from 20,690 cases as of December 2023.
Arancillo emphasized that the sale of SIM cards without proper registration is also illegal, and offenders face heavy fines and imprisonment. Arancillo also discussed the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in tackling these crimes. “One of the major hurdles is identifying the true perpetrators behind spoofing and phishing schemes,” she said in Tagalog, noting that due to the nature of the internet, it’s often difficult to trace the identity of the criminals responsible.
She said data privacy remains a significant issue, as many victims unknowingly compromise their sensitive information. “A reminder from the PNP ACG to our fellow citizens: please be cautious with our online transactions. Remember, not everything we see online is true.
Often, these cybercriminals use dummy accounts,” Arancillo reminded the public. / CDF.
