(PNA file)
MANILA, Philippines – The amount of blocked SMS (short messaging service or text) messages decreased by almost half in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Globe Telecom Inc. (Globe) reported Friday.
In a statement, Globe said a total of 2,740,012 bank-related spams and scam messages were blocked from January to June 2024 through anti-fraud measures and collaborations with major financial institutions.
The figure is 43.56 percent less than the 4,855,199 messages blocked in the same period last year.
“This underscores the effectiveness of Globe’s proactive strategies and robust partnerships with the country’s major banks and financial institutions,” it said.
The reduction in scam messages, it said, came after the company’s anti-fraud agreements with the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) encompassing 45 major banks and various persons in the finance sector.
“These collaborations have enabled vigorous and timely data and intelligence-sharing, aligning efforts to prevent and investigate fraud more effectively,” it said.
Meanwhile, Smart Communications blacklisted at least 615,788 mobile numbers tied to illicit and fraudulent activities, including spamming and SMShing scams in the first six months of this year.
The numbers include fraudulently registered subscriber identity module (SIM) cards purged through Smart’s validation process of all registrations.
Globe operates a 24/7 security operations center that filters out unwanted messages, including app-to-person and person-to-person SMS from international and domestic sources.
“Globe has allocated approximately US20 million to enhance its spam and scam SMS detection and blocking systems to prevent fraudulent messages from reaching consumers,” it said.
It called on mobile users to remain vigilant against emerging scams, especially those that evade cellular networks and are instead using chat apps and fake cell towers that can send messages without having to go through their networks.
Republic Act No. 11934 or the SIM Registration Act that mandates the registration of newly bought SIM cards before activation was signed in October 2022.
Public telecommunication companies are likewise required to submit a verified list of their authorized dealers and agents nationwide to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), to be updated quarterly.
For the next 11 months or until September 2023, the NTC still received more than 45,000 complaints on text scams.