Christmas is right around the corner, and so are scams. The Philippine National Police (PNP) cautioned the public to be wary of their online transactions and the notifications they receive.
The PNP stressed the importance of verifying the legitimacy of sellers and the products and services they are offering. But scams aren’t just in online shopping anymore; they are in text messages, calls, and even in everyday physical stores.
Here are the usual scams and their tactics to look out for this Christmas.
Smishing
Smishing is phishing, but through text messages. Attackers use portable International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers to spoof the sender ID of legitimate banks, digital wallets, and government agencies.
This device acts like a fake cell tower, blasting messages to devices that connect to its signal. Since it can spoof the sender ID, the messages may appear in existing conversations.
These messages often include links that lead users to a spoofed website with a premise that you have a reward, a deadline to meet, or that your account is at risk of hacking. They ask for your information, passwords, and sometimes, one-time PINs (OTPs). Once given, attackers can make unauthorized transactions.
In 2022, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released BSP Memorandum No. M-2022-015, requiring financial institutions not to include links in their messages and emails.…
