Cybercrime incidents up 100% amid ECQ —NBI

Cybercrime incidents in the Philippines rose by 100% amid the enhanced community quarantine, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) – Cybercrime Division said Thursday.

Interviewed on Unang Hirit, NBI Cybercrime Division chief Victor Lorenzo said that most of these cybercrimes are phishing.

"’Yung cybercrime tumaas siya ng 100%... Number 1 ngayon ‘yung phishing,” Lorenzo said.

“May magpapadala sa 'yo ng e-mail. Tapos iki-click mo. Tapos kukunin ‘yung account information. Tapos po ‘yung mga deposits mo will be transferred doon sa accounts ng cybercriminals. Lilimasin nila yun,” he explained.

In phishing, Lorenzo said cybercriminals disguise as financial institutions asking account holders for information.

“Huwag nating ilagay ‘yung account information natin. Unang-una, ‘yung financial institutions, alam na nila ‘yun. Hindi nila hihingiin ‘yun,” he said.

The use of malicious websites is the second most common cybercrime during the ECQ, according to Lorenzo.

“Magla-log in doon ‘yung mga tao kukunin nila ‘yung account information mo at the same humihingi ng donations for COVID,” he said.

Lorenzo advised cybercrime victims to report the incident to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and  NBI for proper documentation.

He said cybercriminals may use the obtained accounts in illegal activities.

“Malapit naman kami sa financial institutions. Pinagtutulungan namin ng mga bangko i-address ‘yung issue. Most of the time, tinutulungan nila kaming ma-recover ng mga victims,” Lorenzo said. --Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News