PNP: Surge in online identity scams alarming

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has expressed alarm over the increasing cases of identity theft or “hijack profile” scams, which involve unauthorized access to a specific social media account.

These accounts are then exploited for illegal activities, such as soliciting financial assistance under false pretenses, according to PNP chief of the Public Information Office (PIO) Col. Jean Fajardo.

She urged the public to be more cautious in using social media, especially the sharing of personal information.

“This is alarming because it is really difficult to trace them... We are facing nameless and faceless criminals who are hiding their identity behind a cellphone and computer to hack the accounts of our countrymen,” Fajardo said in a mix of Tagalog and English.

Data from the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group showed that 178 cases of online identity theft were recorded from November 2023 to February 2024. It said 89 of the cases happened in February alone, according to Fajardo.

The scammers use various tactics to gain access to the profile, including phishing, hacking, or social engineering techniques. These actions violate Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

To prevent falling victim to a hijack profile scam, the PNP urged the public to use strong, unique passwords for online accounts, enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible, be cautious about clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources, and regularly monitor online accounts for any suspicious activity.

Fajardo also reminded the public to avoid transacting with online financial applications using public Wi-Fi connections as it is also one of the possible avenues for the hackers to access information on someone’s cellphone.