PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications warned customers against cybercriminals who might resort to vishing or phishing over voice calls after the activation of their new and more advanced network firewall.
In a news release on Wednesday, PLDT informed of the significant decline in SMShing or phishing over SMS after Smart activated the new firewall. The enhancement was activated in July to block malicious text scams per day. However, they stressed that cybercriminals are quick to adapt and find new resources to use for fraud.
“Criminals are quick to adapt. Now that our new firewall has made it harder for them to send text scams, they now resort to calling customers on their mobile phones or via over-the-top apps to lure them into revealing critical personal data,” Jojo Gendrano, SVP and Chief Information Security Officer at PLDT and Smart said.
According to PLDT, vishing or voice phishing is a type of social engineering where fraudsters pretend to be bank agents, and call potential victims to trick them into sharing personal information like account numbers, credit card CVV numbers, and log-in details.
Cybercriminals typically induce panic in their victims by warning them of account closure or suspension. In some instances, they may fool their victims by telling them of a free upgrade and perks, so that customers are persuaded to reveal sensitive data.
“Once criminals possess the necessary information, they will then take over the customer’s account, empty their savings, or use their credit card information to make unauthorized transactions,” Gendrano stated.
Vishing scams have grown rampant in the country since the emergence of POGO hubs. Government officials have cited the possible connection between the significant decline in text scams with the recent ban on POGOs in the country.
