As digital transactions become more normal in people’s lives, so do the associated threats.
With reports of phishing and voice phishing or “vishing” in the region, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in Ilocos has strongly warned the public to stay vigilant to avoid falling into these dangerous schemes.
Lawyer Ana Minelle Maningding, NTC Ilocos (Region 1) ‘s legal officer discussed how the public can identify, avoid, and report these scams.
Phishing refers to the practice of sending fraudulent messages and emails that appear to come from legitimate sources.
These messages aim to trick victims into sending private details such as passwords, bank details, or personal information.
Once they gain access to the victim’s information, they can use it for identity and financial theft.
Vishing, on the other hand, is a type of scam done through phone calls.
Scammers try to trick victims into thinking they are speaking to legitimate representatives of their banks or government agencies.
During the call, scammers will request a bank account as well as personal or other sensitive information that can be used for malicious activity or theft.
To avoid falling into these scams, Maningding urges the public to always look out for red flags like text messages with malicious links or attachments that redirect them to fake websites, as well as phone calls from unknown numbers demanding information.
“One of the easiest ways to avoid these scams is to not entertain them. When we receive calls and messages from unknown or unsaved numbers, don’t interact, and block the number so we can be more protected,” she said during a recent episode of the Danggay iti Panagdur-as (Partners for Change) radio program of PIA Ilocos Norte.
The NTC legal officer also highlighted the importance of verifying the information scammers sent from the legitimate institutions they are pretending to be associated with.
“Always verify the information from legitimate offices, never click suspicious links, never give personal information and copies of IDs, be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, and as an added form of security, enable two-factor authentication in your online accounts,” Maningding advised.
She encouraged the public to always report to authorities whenever they receive malicious messages and phone calls.
Victims can now conveniently report in the comfort of their homes through NTC’s online complaint page on their website: https://ntc.gov.ph/ and hotline number at 1682.
Additionally, victims can report through the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) using their website: https://cicc.gov.ph/.
Maningding advised that if the scammers have successfully stolen private information and money from the victims, they should directly report it to the Cybercrime Unit of the police in their area for immediate response.
“As always, I want to reiterate the B.I.R.D. acronym—our tool to protect ourselves against scams. When we receive malicious messages, always remember to Block, Ignore, Report and Delete,” she advised.
By following these tips and reporting scams, you can help protect yourself and others from falling victim to phishing and vishing schemes and contribute to making the digital space safer for everyone. (AMB/EJFG, PIA Ilocos Norte)
