Deeper probe on surge of text scams sought
A PARTY LIST congressman has urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Data Privacy Commission to launch a deeper probe on the sudden surge of text spams that scammed hundreds of unsuspecting victims.
Rep. Ronnie Ong, who represents AP party-list in next year’s polls, said the mass leakage of private mobile phone numbers that were used by scam syndicates is a very serious data privacy breach that should already require the attention of the government.
Ong said that a special task force should be created purposely to get into the bottom of this spam text surge.
Congress on the other hand should review and amend Republic Act (RA) No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act to expand its coverage and increase penalties on data privacy violations.
“The surge of spam texts coming from swindling syndicates and internet hackers is very alarming. The government should take very serious steps to expose the people who are responsible for this massive data breach. How did they get our numbers? Who is responsible for this leakage of personal data?” Ong said.
Ong stressed that this massive data privacy breach is not a simple law enforcement issue because this can also have national security implications.
“Possession of massive private data can be exploited by cyber-terrorists to create disinformation and instigate social unrest. At this day and age where nearly all Filipinos are dependent on their mobile devices and the internet, it is now so easy to sow fear and destroy our sense of security, ” Ong said.
