Major win for consumers as telco ramps up efforts against text scams
Globe Telecom has praised law enforcement for the recent arrest of a foreign national suspected to be the leader of a syndicate supplying spoofing devices used in text scams. This development is a significant victory in the fight against fraud schemes involving IMSI catchers—devices that send fake SMS messages impersonating legitimate sender IDs, including Globe’s official Rewards alerts.
Lawyer Froilan Castelo, Globe general counsel, emphasized the importance of this arrest, noting it marks a breakthrough in the battle against scammers who have long avoided capture. “This sends a strong message to fraudsters that their time is running out,” he said.
Text scams using IMSI catchers have been difficult to tackle because these devices operate outside telco networks, acting as fake cell towers to send malicious SMS to nearby SIM cards. Globe has been actively working with the government to prevent the entry of these illegal devices into the Philippines.
Globe also urged consumers to stay vigilant, warning them to avoid suspicious messages and offers, particularly those containing questionable links. The telco reiterated that it never sends clickable links in official advisories.
This arrest underscores the ongoing collaboration between Globe and law enforcement to protect consumers from these deceptive practices.
