When sim cards had to be registered, a lot of people thought it would help stop the spread of text message scams in the country. But these days, more people are still getting scam text messages and, sadly, falling for new phishing scams.
In fact, one of the newest types of text scams uses the person’s name. This method could easily trick people who don’t know what’s going on into clicking on dangerous links or giving out private information like bank accounts and credit card numbers.
In the same way, people are still getting texts with fake job offers and “lucky winner” schemes.
This kind of fraud is called “smishing.” It is a type of “phishing” attack in which scammers use text messages or the short message service (SMS) to trick people into giving out personal and private information. Once the scammers have the information, they can use it to take over the victim’s bank account and make deals without the victim’s permission.
With smishing becoming more common, it’s important to be smart and careful. Here are three good ways to avoid getting scammed by text messages.
Be careful about text messages from numbers you do not know that offer jobs, raffle prizes, or links that you can click on. When you get texts like this, just ignore them. Do not click on the link! Do not forget that banks will never ask you for your One-Time Password, name, or account number.
When in doubt, report. Tell your bank right away about any fraud attempts or incidents. You could also make a complaint with the National Telecommunications Commission or the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG).
National Telecommunications Commission
One Stop Public Assistance Center (OSPAC):
Engr. Bill L. Peralta
Email: [email protected]
Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG)
Contact Number: 0966 627 1257
Block the number and delete the text after you have finished the first two steps.
Scammers can utilize new numbers to text the general public, therefore, blocking them might not completely stop the proliferation of text frauds. But don’t worry, just keep in mind the three actions of ignore, report, and block. If necessary, repeat the process.
Let us be wiser and more cautious as cybercriminals continue to create new ways to peddle their schemes. Let us always be #CyberSafe.
