Level up vs phishing, online scams, DOJ tells law enforcers
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has advised all law enforcement units in the country to strengthen capabilities to fight crimes being committed in cyberspace that have become prevalent during the lockdown.
In a recently conducted webinar series entitled, “Cybercrime in the Time of Corona: PH Cybercrime Trends during the Covid-19 Pandemic” hosted by the Department of Justice-office of Cybercrime, it was reported by authorities that phishing has emerged as the top crime being committed in cyberspace.
National Bureau of Investigation Nbi-cyber Crimes Division (NBI-CCD) Senior Agent Francis Señora said during the webinar that the number of phishing cases reported to the agency increased by more than 200 percent.
Señora said that the agency only had around 30 cases prior to March. He said an additional 70 cases were reported after three weeks
“Why? Because there is a necessity to use computers to do our communication; to do our job,” Señora said. “Hence, this is one of the opportunities for attack.”
Phishing is a cyber crime wherein targets are contacted by e-mail, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as banking and creditcard details, passwords and personally identifiable information.
The two other top cyber crimes are online selling scam and misinformation that tends to cause panic among the public.
Phishing and online selling scam are punishable under Republic Act (R A) 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, while the latter is penalized by RA 11649 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act
It can be recalled that the DOJOCC also reported a 264.63-percent increase in the number of reported online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) during the three-month quarantine period imposed by the government beginning March 17.
This prompted the DOJ to pressure the country’s Internet service providers (ISPS) to comply with their duty under the law to install a program or software that will block access to or transmittal of any form of child pornography.
The DOJ lamented it has been 11 years since the passage of RA 9755 or the Anti-child Pornography Act of 2009. The DOJ said the ISPS continue to be remiss of their duties.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the spike in cyber-related crimes is expected considering the non-face-to-face mode of communication during the pandemic.
“It is expected that during these pandemic times, where direct personal interactions are reduced, more crimes will be committed in cyberspace. It is therefore imperative that law enforcement agencies beef up their cybercrime units, upgrade their technologies and enhance their investigative capabilities,” Guevarra said.