QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The Department of Transportation (DOTr), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and Scam Watch Pilipinas have joined forces anew for “Oplan Bantay Lakbay: Undas 2024” to help ensure safe and efficient observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
The joint effort is highlighted by a massive information drive from October 30 to November 5, which aims to ensure a hassle-free experience for all Filipinos and tourists traveling within the country during the period and protect them from possible scams.
The campaign warns the public on the following: open and unsecured Wi-Fi, fake e-wallet apps, fake customer service, fake accommodation scams, too-good-To-Be-True deals, fake travel agents, charity cons, counterfeit cash, hidden CCTVs, and fixer of tickets.
CICC Executive Director Undersecretary Alexander Ramos said, “While our fellow Filipinos are eager to visit the grave of our dearly departed, we sometimes also fall prey to online scammers through hotel and transportation bookings.”
He announced that CICC’s Inter-Agency Response Center (IARC) Hotline 1326 will continue to operate 24/7 during the Oplan Bantay Lakbay campaign.
“We will respond to travelers’ and commuters’ needs against online scammers, and they can also call 1326 for any travel concerns aside from cyber fraud. Our response team from CICC is closely coordinating with their counterparts from DOTr,” Ramos added.
DOTr Assistant Secretary Hector Villacorta said they expect Filipinos to take advantage of the long weekend since Undas will be a Friday.
“We have made the necessary preparations and mobilized our people to assist travelers at all our travel access points nationwide, whether by air, land, or sea. We are adding the information drive to warn travelers against the different types of online scams,” he assured.
Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Founder Jocel de Guzman urged Filipino travelers to report incidents of online scams using 1326.
“Online scam victims must report to 1326, while travelers who received text scams or phishing emails can report using the eGov Super App via eReport, where they can send screenshots of these messages. They can also download the Whoscall app to detect suspicious calls and text messages,” De Guzman said. (PIA DMD)
