Ched Rick Gatchalian

Article (news)

Public warned: Scam calls on the rise

Jekki Pascual

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The number of scams via phone calls in the Philippines is now on the rise, beating text scams, according to a report.</p><p>The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) sounded the alarm on the rising number of call scams based on the report of the anti-scam app Whoscall.</p><p>The Philippines passed SIM Registration Act in 2022 on the premise of combating scams despite objections from rights groups and tech experts that SIM card registration would put personal data at risk and would not be effective against fraud.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/8/21/scammers-turn-to-vishing-use-ai-generated-voice-pldt-smart-1247">Scammers turn to &#x27;vishing&#x27;, use AI-generated voice: PLDT-Smart</a></div><p>The report said that text scams still remain a top problem with 648,239 scam messages recorded by its app in the first quarter of 2025. This is lower than the 1,143,268 scam messages in the same period last year or a 43.3% drop year on year.</p><p>But scam calls rose 225.17% from 108,157 in the first quarter last year to 351,699 in January to March this 2025. </p><p>“This is one of the methods they say na mataas ang conversion rate pag nakakausap nila ang victims (they say there is a higher conversion rate when scammers get to talk to victims),” CICC Undersecretary Alexander Ramos said on why scammers are now shifting to calls.</p><p>Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Founder Jocel de Guzman said many scammers actually sound legitimate, which is why some victims fall for their offers.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/9/11/scam-calls-messages-in-ph-up-200-pct-from-jan-august-1952">Scam calls, messages in PH up by 200 pct in 2024</a></div><p>“The voice is sincere, nakukuha ang trust… They’re trained. They’re like professionals. They’re really like telemarketing,” De Guzman said.</p><p>The anti-scam app said victims tend to believe the caller since the caller would give some information about the victim.</p><p>“Meron kasi tayong tinatawag na scam industry. So like in a typical business enterpise, meron kang HR, may marketing, sales, meron din nag reresearch. Study nila sino ba potential na puwede kong victims,” said Gogolook Country Manager Mel Migriño.</p><p>(There is such a thing as a scam industry. So, like in a typical business enterprise, there is human resources, marketing, sales. There are also people doing research. They study their potential victims)</p><p>Migriño said that callers who ask too much personal information should raise red flags.</p><p>There are some red flags to note whenever one gets a call from an unknown number.</p><p>“Yung mga calls na ang theme ay ‘too good to be true.’ Others would be yung mga calls na nag-ask sa atin ng sense of urgency,” he also said.</p><p>(The calls that seem too good to be true. Others would be calls that convey a sense of urgency)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/9/30/globe-warns-vs-new-voice-phishing-scam-1125">Globe warns vs new &#x27;voice phishing&#x27; scam</a> </div><p>The app has launched a new feature called the &quot;Content Checker&quot; to verify if a number is connected to a scam or not.</p><p>One can also see if a website link or a screenshot of chat conversations are legitimate or not.</p><p>The CICC is also now creating the guidelines for a high-tech app that government agencies, stakeholder partners and even the media cab use to verify if photos or videos on social media are legitimate or now. The agency plans to release the accreditation process in the coming weeks.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/3/20/gov-t-to-set-up-national-deepfake-task-force-1802">Gov&#x27;t to set up National Deepfake Task Force</a></div>

<p>The number of call scams or scams via phone calls in the Philippines is now on the rise, beating text scams, according to a report.</p>

The number of call scams or scams via phone calls in the Philippines is now on the rise, beating text scams, according to a report.