NTC directs telcos anew to blast warnings amid persistent fake job text scams

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for the third time ordered telecommunications companies to blast warnings to the public amid the persistence of spam text messages that lure mobile phone users of high-paying jobs.

In a a memorandum dated June 29, the NTC directed DITO Telecommunity, Globe Telecom, and Smart Communications to send to their subscribers from July 5 to July 11 the following message:

“HUWAG PONG MANIWALA SA TEXT NA NAG-AALOK NG TRABAHO NA MAY PANGAKO NA MALAKING SWELDO. ITO PO AY ISANG SCAM.”

The NTC issued similar orders on May 27 and June 9, which ordered telcos to blast warnings from May 28 to June 4 and from June 11 to June 17, respectively.

Despite issuing the two previous orders, the telecommunications regulator said the “persistence of fake job text and similar scams remained unabated over the month of June across telecommunications networks in the country, in various new forms, targeting the general public.”

The NTC also directed telcos to continue the process of blocking SIM cards that are being utilized to perpetrate the fraudulent activities and further increase their respective public information campaigns to widen awareness of the issue.

Telcos were given until July 15 to submit their written reports of compliance to the NTC.

The agency also directed its regional directors and officers-in-charge to appear before local radio and television stations within their respective jurisdictions to warn the public against the continuing text scams from July 5 to July 11 and “further increase their local public information campaigns to educate the public of the new derivatives of these scams.”

They have until July 15 to submit their compliance report. —Ted Cordero/KBK, GMA News