BAGUIO CITY – Online government enforcers warned social media users of unregulated online lending apps, advance fee scams, and unsolicited texts or emails with malicious links on Thursday, November 28.
The Cordillera Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee and other government agencies urged the public to remain vigilant against various investments and scams, such as cryptocurrency, online business, love scams, online shopping, recruitment, investment, and unfamiliar links.
Cryptocurrency must be registered to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). There are many sites and apps that are pretending to trade in crypto rather than trading crypto. It is a ponzi scam if it is pretending to trade in crypto. It is trade in crypto if it is registered to BSP. Crypto is sneaked through corporations.
“It’s not really easy to investigate these scams; that’s why we encourage our complaints to collect receipts, contracts, emails, or any proof to help the investigators,” said Police Lieutenant Pink Pearl Amdengan, Chief Investigator of CIDG RFU.
Attorney Noel Neil Malimban, Regional Director of BSP NLRO encouraged online users to practice cybersecurity awareness. “‘Pag nagpraktise tayo ng cyber hygiene, mga 50 percent ng scams ay mawawala, this for alone is phishing,” he said.
Online shopping can also be a way to get your personal information. Malimban cautioned online shoppers not to take their photos when riders take a picture of their order for confirmation. “Kapag itatapon natin iyong package ng parcels natin, i-highlight niyo ng marker o guntingin or shred para hindi makita iyong information niyo,” he added.
Regarding investments, you cannot recruit online unless you have a certificate as a licensed broker. Amdeengan warned recruiters that they are liable and can be reported. “Kapag nagrecruit ang kaibigan o family member mo na walang lisensya na broker, it falls under scam pa rin,” she said, noting senior citizens are mainly prone to this.
Attorney Regina Cajucom-De Guzman, SEC Baguio Director warned recruiters that it is against the Securities Regulations Code to solicit the public. “Bago ka magpost sa Facebook na nagrerecruit ka, siguraduhing legit licensed broker ka kasi kung hindi, may violation ka,” she said. “Hindi lang dapat iyong ahente ang may licensed, pati rin iyong produkto ay dapat mayroon.”
Cajucom-De Guzman also revealed that reported scams under 10 thousand Pesos are rare, and around four to six million Pesos is the highest amount that was filed in the Department of Justice (DOJ).
She also cautioned the public about love scams, a form of money muling where individuals transfer money from one account to another or withdraw it in cash for someone else in exchange for a commission.
Malimban also cautioned users not to click or open links appearing in text messages or social media apps. Check first that the link has ‘https’ because it is a secured site. Without the s is not secured, which can be a scam. Clicking the links will lead to scammers having complete access to your devices, which is why random phone numbers calling to your phones appear.
Authorities warned online users that if the post is too good to be true, back off. Think before you click, and be vigilant when it comes to money-related.
Other speakers were NBI CAR Director Atty. Diosdado N. Araos, DTI CAR Assistant Director Atty. Samuel Gallardo, NBI CAR Atty. Darwin Camilo Lising, RACU Cordillera Chief PCOL. Larry Buansi, NTC CAR Attorney III Atty. Lilibeth Cosi, and DICT CAR Information Systems Researcher II Mr. Frankxen John Pinzon. By Michael Dadd
