NTC, Meta, Viber discuss measures vs. 'text scams'

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Wednesday said it already met with representatives of Meta and Viber to discuss measures to prevent "text scams."

In an interview on Balitanghali, NTC Deputy Commissioner Jon Paulo Salvahan said they had met with officials of the said platforms prior to the raid of a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, where SIM cards allegedly used for online fraud and scams were discovered.

“Naka-meeting na po namin ang mga representatives from META na hawak po 'yung Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. Pati po ng Viber, nakipag-meeting na rin po sa amin 'yan sila mga about a month or two months ago,” Salvahan said.

(We have already met with representatives from META which handles Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. We also met with Viber, they had a meeting with us about a month or two months ago.)

According to Salvahan, scammers would find ways to register or submit fake or fictitious registration documents, as well as transfer their activities to over-the-top platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber, which are currently not covered by the SIM Registration Act.

Further, scammers could have obtained personal information from users who have registered their names and phone numbers in some stores or establishments.

Among the things considered during the meeting was the sharing of deactivated SIM numbers by telecommunications companies to the over-the-top platforms, for the respective deactivation in their applications.

“Dini-discuss na po namin ano 'yung mga possible measures para ma-address po 'yung mga scamming and spamming po na ginagamit sa kanilang platforms including 'yung possible data sharing po, ise-share ‘yung data ng telcos ng mga na-deactivate nilang SIM numbers para ma-deactivate din sa mga platforms nitong mga over-the-top operators po natin.”

(We are already discussing possible measures to address the scamming and spamming used on their platforms including the possible data sharing. The telcos will share their data of their deactivated SIM numbers for over-the-top operators to deactivate them on their platforms.)

Salvahan said the NTC acknowledges calls to tighten the implementation of SIM registration and that they will cooperate with the Senate to enhance the law, as well as the commission’s regulations.

The agency issued a statement Monday after Senator Sherwin Gatchalian told them to "stop sleeping on its job" to realize the intent of the SIM Registration Act, which was signed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in October 2022, to reduce, if not eliminate, scams perpetrated through text or online messages. --VAL, GMA Integrated News