The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Thursday issued order directing telecommunications companies to warn the public against the proliferation of personalized text scams or unsolicited text messages containing the names of intended recipients.
In a memorandum dated September 8, the NTC ordered mobile network service providers DITO Telecommunity, Globe Telecom, and Smart Communications to blast to their subscribers daily from September 9 to September 15, 2022 the following message:
"BABALA. HUWAG PONG MANIWALA SA TEXT NA NAGLALAMAN NG INYONG PANGALAN NA NAG-AALOK NG TRABAHO, PABUYA O PERA. ITO PO AY ISANG SCAM."
Likewise, the commissions also directed telcos to accelerate the process of blocking SIM cards that are being utilized to perpetrate these fraudulent activities and to further expand the messaging reach of your respective public information campaigns to the public regarding these new variants of text scams.
They were given until September 19 to submit written reports of their compliance to the NTC.
Meanwhile, in a separate memorandum, the NTC also directed its regional directors and officers-in-charge to appear before local radio and television stations within their respective jurisdictions at least 10 days to warn the public against the continuing text scams from September 9 to September 15 and to expand their respective local public information campaigns to educate the public of the text scams.
The regional directors and officers-in-charge also have until September 19 to submit their compliance reports.
Last month, NTC issued a similar memorandum on text scams that includes name of recipients.
