DAGUPAN CITY, Feb. 28 (PIA) – Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. recently called on the public to remain vigilant against scams after some governors and mayors across the country have been victimized by a fraudster who pretended to be him and extorted money from them.
 
“Someone used my name and asked for money from some government officials. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone,” Abalos warned.
 
Also, he cautioned against the potential risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) which can replicate voices, manipulate faces, and fabricate fake identities.
 
“Technology is beneficial but it is also concerning, especially with advancements in AI that can mimic our voices, potentially leading to scamming others,” he stated, advising people not to be fooled by phone calls.
 
Through the incident he encountered, Abalos urges the public to report any scams or suspected fraudulent activities to local police and to gather relevant evidence, including the scammer’s contact details, messages, and any financial transactions to prevent more significant crime.
 
It can be recalled that Edison Montealto, a 27-year-old resident of Lingayen, Pangasinan, used the alias “Larry Abalos,” and misrepresented himself as the DILG secretary’s chief of staff and mimicked Abalos’ voice to deceive his victims.
 
The fraudulent activities took place between October and November last year.
 
Montealto was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the entrapment operation on Dec. 7 last year in Lingayen town and was charged with violating estafa, spoofing, and identity theft.
 
Abalos believed that the case of spoofing – the act of cybercriminals disguising themselves as individuals, businesses, or entities to carry out malicious activities – may be the first or among the first to be filed following the signing of the SIM (subscriber identity module) Registration Act in October last year.
 
He attended the first hearing related to a complaint filed against an individual who used his name to extort money from others and reiterated that he has no chief of staff, employee, or relative named after the apprehended suspect on Friday, Feb. 23 at the Regional Trial Court in Lingayen. (JCR/MJTAB/AMB/JCDR/AJVC/PIA Pangasinan)