“Our most effective defense is to adopt a ‘Zero Trust’ attitude online, be vigilant and ‘Be Wais’ about the messages and content we encounter on our devices”
The Philippines has become the top target of online scammers and ranked with the highest scam rate in the 2023 Asia Scam Report published by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance and Gogolook.
The survey gathered data from 20,000 respondents from the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China.
According to an April 2024 report by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, there has been an increasing trend of online selling scams which recorded 47 incidents during the first week surging to 55, then 63 during the third week for a total 165.
Mind you, these are only the reported cases.
Safe to assume that actual numbers are much multiple times higher because people tend to just let go and charge to experience when the amounts involved may be too small and not worth the time and bother.
This kind of attitude is exactly what the scammers are banking on and are laughing their way to the bank with daily cash hauls from scamming activities.
The 2023 report of GlobalData predicts e-commerce sales in the Philippines to approach P1 billion by 2026 as broadband infrastructures improve, thereby expanding a huge consumer base that has embraced going online for transactions.
For the online scammers, this means they will have a growing market of prospective victims to look forward to.
We consumers are the prime targets of malevolent elements in cyberspace who are using the shield of anonymity to send various modes of scam tactics – and the best defense is for us to know how to recognize and act whenever a scam attempt appears on the screens of our mobile phones or computers.
As a convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines, we have joined forces with Bayan Academy, SM Supermalls, and Meta in the “Be-Wais” anti-online scam campaign to promote an attitude of alertness to avoid being victimized by scam schemes.
The key message is to ‘Be wise and skeptical (Be wais at magduda) when confronted with various modus operandi employed by scammers.
In the May 11 launching event, the first of a series of educational videos were released which illustrate the deceptive tactics of various scams, such as online shopping scams, phishing or bank scams, job scams, love scams, investment scams, and brand impersonation scams.
These videos will be shared on the social media platforms of the partner government agencies, the private sector, and advocacy partners.
Our co-convenor, lawyer Kit Belmonte, in his statement during the launch, said we as consumers must arm ourselves with the know-how to ensure these fraudsters, scammers and thieves do not succeed.”
Francisco Enrique “Jay” M. Bernardo III, Chairman and President of Bayan Family of Foundations likewise warned that scammers are getting more and more creative with their dirty tricks.
“When something is too good to be true, take a moment. Be doubtful. Pause before reacting, buying, or sending money online.” he said.
The importance of consumer trust in building a resilient digital economy was emphasized by USAID-Philippines’ Deputy Director of Economic Development and Governance Eric Florimon Reed.
He said, “For a digital economy to flourish and be sustainable, it is important that consumers trust the integrity and fairness of digital marketplaces.
“In turn, these marketplaces need to prioritize and promote transparent and ethical practices that engender such trust, allowing consumers to confidently engage and transact online.”
Overseas Filipino workers are especially vulnerable to investment scams, consumer fraud, illegal recruitment, and human trafficking.
Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac vowed to protect overseas Filipino workers from these scams, and to educate them on how to make wise financial decisions.
The other partners in this multi-sectoral fight against cyber scams are the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Justice, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Trade and Industry, Securities and Exchange Commission, and the United States Agency for International Development.
As scam syndicates increasingly employ creative tactics for phishing, smishing, and fraud attacks, they often lure their targets with seemingly legitimate or irresistible offers, from unbelievably cheap branded items to high-salary jobs and all sorts of deals.
As consumers, our most effective defense is to adopt a “Zero Trust” attitude online, be vigilant and “Be Wais” about the messages and content we encounter on our devices.
