The increase in text-based scams using subscribers’ names is currently being investigated by the National Privacy Commission (NPC).
Privacy Commissioner John Henry Naga said the Privacy body is “monitoring and investigating the proliferation of unsolicited text messages from anonymous numbers, with some containing the receiver’s names.”
Moreover, NTC instructed telecommunications companies to conduct a text blast from August 31 to September 6 to inform them of the fraudulent schemes.
Authorities and experts urged the public to exercise caution when responding to scam SMS and to refrain from sharing excessive amounts of personal information online because data breaches that are sold on the dark web allow scammers to obtain the personal information of subscribers.
In addition, the NPC stated that it was collaborating with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the Philippine National Police’s anti-cybercrime unit, as well as the major telecommunications providers to resolve the problem.