Globe blocks more than 2B scam, spam SMS in 2022

Globe Telecom Inc. said on Tuesday the number of scam and spam messages blocked in 2022 reached a record high of 2.72 billion, more than double versus the previous year’s 1.15 billion.

This, according to Globe Chief Information Security Officer Anton Bonifacio, reflects the “impact of its stepped up campaign against malicious SMS.”

“Our customers are our top priority so we do our best to ensure that they are protected from scammers and fraudsters. We will continue to invest in cybersecurity systems and work tirelessly to provide them with a safe and enjoyable online experience as we also take part in the full implementation of the SIM Registration Act,” he said.

Bonifacio added that this initiative is a “crucial” component of Globe’s cybersecurity strategy.

Last year, the government took a more proactive role in cracking down scam and spam messages, which typically involves the theft of one’s identity or money.

Globe’s partnership with commercial banks and online retailers allowed it to block some 83.4 million bank-related spam messages in 2022.

“With our relentless proactive blocking efforts and implementation of the new law, we are taking great strides in our campaign to end text fraud,” he said.

So far, Globe has spent about $20 million to step up its spam and scam SMS detection and blocking system. Its round-the-clock Security Operations Center filters out these unwanted messages, including app-to-person and person-to-person SMS of international and domestic sources.

Globe is also blocking personto-person SMS with clickable URLS from all networks in September last year amid growing concern over escalating scam and spam messages, particularly those containing mobile users’ full names.

Taking into account the volume of spam and scam messages—some of which were detected to have been operated by international entities— the government enacted Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act in 2022.

The law requires individuals to register their SIM and present a valid identification document to their respective service providers.