NTC says text scams remain ‘unabated’; presses telcos, offices to issue warnings
FILE PHOTO: Mobile phone users have been advised to be paranoid in dealing with text messages from unknown senders who may be stealing sensitive information by offering nonexistent job opportunities via SMS. INQUIRER/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Persistent and “unabated” fake job texts have prompted the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to order its regional offices and telecommunication firms to issue warnings against such mobile scams on Tuesday.
“The persistence of fake job text and similar scams has still remained unabated over the month of June across telecommunications networks in the country, in various new forms, targeting the general public,” NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said in separate memorandums issued on June 29.
The NTC again requested telco companies to text blast their subscribers with the following warning from July 5-11:
“HUWAG PONG MANIWALA A TEXT NA NAG-AALOK NG TRABAHO NA MAY PANGAKO NA MALAKING SWELDO. ITO PO AY ISANG SCAM (DO NOT FALL FOR TEXT MESSAGES OFFERING JOBS WITH HIGH SALARIES. THIS IS A SCAM.).”
“You are also directed to continue the process of blocking SIM cards that are being utilized to perpetrate these fraudulent activities and further increase your respective public information campaigns to educate the public of the new derivatives of these scams,” it added.
Article continues after this advertisementMeanwhile, the NTC also directed “all NTC regional directors and officers-in-charge” to warn the public against mobile text scams through local radio and television stations.
Article continues after this advertisement“In the interest of the service, you are, once more, directed to appear before local radio and television stations within your respective jurisdictions to warn the public against the continuing text scams from 05 July 2022 to 11 July 2022 and further increase your respective local public information campaigns to educate the public of the new derivatives of these scams,” the memorandum further reads.
Telcos and regional offices were asked to submit a compliance report to Cordoba’s office by July 15.
The NTC has issued similar memorandums as text scams continue to victimize Filipinos.
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