PHILIPPINE National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group director Brigadier General Joel B. Doria yesterday called on the public to completely ignore spam messages they continuously receive as they continue investigating people and companies behind these money-earning rackets.

He described “spam messages” as messages that are sent in bulk to random people from unknown senders.

These messages either contain offers of job hiring, investments opportunities, money, rewards, raffle draw winners, freezing of bank accounts and many others anyone can imagine.

He made the statement as the PNP leadership headed by General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. expressed its full support to the proposed investigation of the Senate Committee on Public Services on continued proliferation of text scam messages victimizing millions of Filipinos.

PNP Officer-in-Charge Lieutenant Gen. Jose Chiquito M. Malayo said the police force will contribute and cooperate in the investigation, as it did in the recent text scam cases handled by the PNP Anti CyberCrime Group.

The PNP leadership again pushed for the implementation of the SIM Card Registration Act which is expected to assist law enforcers in identifying culprits or scammers who use their communication devices to victimize unsuspecting individuals.

However, security measures should be in place to safeguard the prepaid subscriber’s data similar to security features of postpaid SIM card subscribers, Lt. Gen. Malayo said.

“Patuloy po kaming nanawagan sa ating mga kababayan na maging maingat sa mga pumapasok na mensahe sa kanila at huwag agad na maniwala kahit pa may pangalan nila ang text message.

The moment na hingan na kayo ng personal na detalye lalong lalo na ng mga nanghihingi ng pera, huwag na huwag po kayong magbibigay. Pag may matanggap po silang personal text messages, magsampa po sila ng reklamo sa ating PNP-ACG offices or mag-viber and text sa 09618298083 or tumawag sa (02)7230401 Local 7491,” Lt. Gen. Malayo said.

The PNP’s top cybercop said their initial conduct of social media exploitation revealed that the senders’ numbers are not linked to any social media accounts, messaging apps and digital wallets to avoid identification by law enforcers.

Brig. Gen. Doria said there are numerous possibilities on how scammers get hold of the personal information of the recipients of spam text messages.

One, is thru the purchase of bulk mobile numbers being sold illegally in the dark web; thru social media platforms, websites, and phone directories around the internet; thru filled-up raffle tickets, and all kinds of standard application forms.

It can also be acquired thru random typing of numbers in social media messaging apps like ‘viber’ which when added, the messaging app will automatically supply the person’s name.

“Every day, scammers will employ different modus to get people to believe their lies to rob you of your savings. That is why we at the PNP-ACG continuously remind everyone to be vigilant and to be aware of the different tactics of fraudsters. ‘Knowledge is Key here,” Brig. Gen. Doria said.

The official said that in order to further combat this type of modus, they are calling on recipients of personalized spam messages to simply ignore them and not to click on the link attached to these messages.

He added: “Collaboration, cooperation and close coordination” with the National Privacy Commission and the different TELCOs is necessary to address the issues on spam text messaging.

The official said cybercrime awareness and public information campaigns are continuously being conducted by personnel of the PNP-ACG in order for people to be aware of this type of scam popularly known as “smishing.”