ILOILO CITY (PIA) — Are you safe from the latest online scams?
Local media in Western Visayas recently learned about the growing threats of phishing, smishing, quishing and vishing during a cybersecurity briefing conducted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
Kent Arnel Jaragbas, planning assistant at the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Antique Provincial Office, emphasized the need for comprehensive cybersecurity strategies.
“Some of the strategies for online security include avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions, ensuring your connection is secure, not sharing personal information online, monitoring financial accounts and credit reports, implementing network segmentation and utilizing strong access controls,” Jaragbas said.
The discussion included “phishing,” or fraudulent attempts to steal sensitive information by impersonating trusted entities.
Jaragbas detailed various types of phishing, including:
Smishing: Using deceptive text messages to trick recipients into providing personal information or clicking malicious links.
Vishing: Using phone calls to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive data.
Spear Phishing: Targeting specific individuals or organizations with tailored scams.
Whaling: Targeting high-profile individuals within an organization.
Quishing: Using malicious QR codes to redirect victims to harmful websites or download malicious content.
“To avoid phishing attacks, you must avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments, always verify the identity of the sender or caller and website URLs before entering sensitive information, use a URL Expander Tool (checkshorturl.com), and verify links with security tools (virustotal.com),” Jaragbas added.
He also provided tips on identifying phishing emails, which often feature urgent subject lines, unusual requests, suspicious links or attachments, and impersonal greetings. He advised recipients to double-check the sender’s email address.
In the event of a cybercrime, individuals are advised to preserve evidence, report it to online platforms, notify their bank and report it to relevant entities through the Inter-Agency Response Center at 09477147105 (Smart), 09669765971 (Globe) and 09914814225 (DITO).
The briefing was hosted by the Philippine Information Agency in partnership with the DICT as part of the agency’s Media and Information Literacy drive. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6)
