PNP to file charges vs. text scam operators

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) said on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, that it is set to file charges against the alleged operators of personalized text scams.

In a statement, ACG chief Brigadier General Joel Doria said these text scam operators whom he refused to identify yet were identified following coordination with the National Privacy Commission, telecommunication companies and other stakeholders.

They will be charged with violations under Republic Act (RA) 10173 (Data Privacy Act) in relation to RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act).

The Senate committee in public services earlier launched an inquiry into the proliferation of spam and phishing messages that aim to victimize Filipinos by trying to get their personal information, including their account details on financial online services.

The public earlier expressed alarm over the spread of these scam messages.

The National Telecommunications Commission earlier issued a memorandum directing the country’s major telecommunication firms to deactivate clickable Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), links, and quick response (QR) codes in text messages amid the proliferation of spam and phishing text messages.

Among the measures seen to prevent such activities is the passage of a law that mandates the registration of SIM cards in the country.

Last April, then President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the SIM Card Registration bill due to the inclusion of social media providers in the registration requirement that was not part of the bill’s original version.