GCash, the country’s leading mobile
wallet, expressed its full support to the Philippine National Police –
Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) and the National Telecommunications Security Council
(NTSC) for the seizure of over 80,000 unregistered SIM cards used for various
types of scams such as e-wallet accounts takeover, phishing, love scams, and
illegal gambling operations.
During a recent press conference, the
PNP-ACG explained that scammers used a pirated GSM modem, which is legally
issued and should only be used by telecommunication companies in the country,
in sending over 300 scam texts in a span of 1-2 minutes using up to 30
unregistered SIM cards. During the
investigation, it was also revealed that at least 40,000 of the seized
unregistered SIM cards are from local telco providers, while others are foreign
mobile SIM cards.
The usual modus operandi of these scams
begins with by sending suspicious links to victims, calling the user’s mobile
number posing as a telco provider or an e-wallet representative to trick users
into sharing their personal information for e-wallet account takeover, or
sending notices that a user has won a grand prize for a competition, lottery,
or sweepstakes. Scammers also used some of the unregistered SIM cards for “love
scams” to steal money from their victims, and for illegal gambling.
“Let this also serve as a warning to the
public to protect their personal information from getting into the hands of
cybercriminals. Scammers now use various unlawful ways to perpetrate their
schemes while enjoying anonymity. I am likewise encouraging the public to be
watchful and immediately report any cybercrime to the PNP-ACG so we can
coordinate immediately with telcos and apprehend these scammers,” said PNP-ACG
spokesperson PCAPT Michelle Sabino.
According to NTSC admin head and first
admin chair Col. Willie Gonio, the collaboration between PNP-ACG, and e-wallets
such as GCash, is part of its continuing effort to improve the safety of
customers nationwide. “We will continue to work closely with local government
units, local authorities, and our colleagues in the industry to ensure the
physical security of telco infrastructure and to make sure that these illegal
activities do not continue, and most importantly, to sharply increase the
number of apprehended perpetrators.”
GCash reiterated that the platform
employs up-to-date, world-class security technologies on its app for a more
secure verification and authentication process, assuring customers of safe
transactions.
“It is crucial now more than ever, that
we work together with the top authorities in the country to protect Filipinos
against fraudulent online transactions. GCash will continue to join forces with
authorities and assist them in ensuring that illegal schemes and activities of
cybercriminals who use the GCash platform are closely monitored. We will stop
at nothing until they are apprehended,” said GCash head of Fraud Management
Alexander Sibal.
GCash advises its customers to be very
careful and vigilant, and to never share their MPINs and One-Time Passwords
(OTPs).
You can download the GCash app for free
on Google Play and the App store.
For more information, visit
https://www.gcash.com