NTC warns public anew against text scams

The National Telecommunications Commission has warned mobile phone users anew against text scams.

In a recent interview, Alan Macaraya Jr., legal officer at NTC in Central Visayas, said the public must be aware of various fraudulent acts sent through text messages.

He urged the public to report text scams through the agency's Customer Welfare and Protection Unit (CWPU).

Macaraya noted NTC was also eyeing a future memorandum of agreement with social networking site Facebook "to regulate online usage to lessen scams and fake news."

NTC said most of the victims of text scams are senior citizens due to their limited knowledge on technology.

Scammers even use SMS broadcast equipment to send their text scam messages.

Some scammers send text messages claiming that a relative of the recipient was in an accident and needed money.

Others send "promo text scams", saying that the recipient of the text had won a prize and should send load first.

Mobile phone users are also encouraged to verify the identity of texters claiming to be relatives before responding to their requests.

NTC has registered legal content providers, whose names appear whenever they send subscribers text messages.

Messages from telecommunications companies are also sent through three-to four-digit numbers.

If a sender has 11 digits, it is a personal number.