AGENTS of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) have stepped up their efforts to arrest continued operations of e-sabong and other online scam activities in the country, the head of the unit said on Monday.

“We are monitoring all e-sabong websites and other fraudulent activities being perpetrated thru the use of SIM cards. In fact, we are working double time to address the problem,” said PNP-ACG director, Brigadier General Joel B. Doria.

Last week, the official said they conducted 234 cyber-patrolling operations versus e-sabong websites leading to the blocking of 119 websites. Another 35 were found to be already ‘inactive’ while 79 e-sabong accounts/pages have been deleted.

However, he said they are not letting their guards down. “Tandaan natin na mura lang magpagawa ng website but still we are monitoring them in close coordination with the Department of Information, Communications and Technology,” Brig. Gen. Doria said.

The official added they are also fully watching fraudulent activities being conducted thru the use of pre-paid SIM cards.

“Ang mga scammers, alam din na ito ang magiging dahilan para mahuli sila kaya itatapon lang nila ang SIM card after use. That’s why we are fully coordinating with money remittance centers and other companies to identify and arrest these scammers,” Brig. Gen. Doria said.

PNP-ACG records showed that from January 1 to December 31, 2022, the group investigated a total of 6,550 SIM card-aided financial/online scams as well as text scams, bank frauds, fake news and unsolicited/indecent text messages.

PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. told a press briefing at Camp Crame that the ongoing mandatory SIM card registration will be vital in arresting SIM card-aided financial and online scams in the country and even abroad.

Thus, he said that the PNP will investigate and file appropriate criminal charges against persons who will fail to register their SIM cards past the government deadline.

The PNP chief also called on the public including social media enthusiasts to help them arrest the presence of online scams simply by reporting their presence to the PNP and not believing on them.

“Me mga nagpapatotoo pa kasi dyan sa mga scams na yan imbes na tumulong sa awareness campaign namin versus these scams. Dapat pagtulungan ng PNP at ng DICT na ma-takedown ang mga ito para hindi na makapanloko ng mga kapwa natin,” he said.

Even as he emphasized the need to provide the PNP with more adequate technical support to improve its IT capabilities, Gen. Azurin called on distributors of pre-paid Globe and Smart SIM cards to involve themselves in the government registration program.

“Siguro yung mga nagbebenta ng SIM cards, i-register na din nila yung buyers and look at the government-issued IDs of their buyers. Para siguardo na ma-lessen ang probability na me use of fake IDs, dapat i-report din nila agad sa telcos nang sa ganun, makatulong sila na ma-address ang problema,” Gen. Azurin said.