PAOCC: Fewer text scams due to POGO ban

There has been a significant drop in the number of text scams after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the banning of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) in the country, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

“Magmula po noong bi-nan ng Presidente, ang laki ng binagsak po ng mga nare-receive nating text scams,” PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio said in Joseph Morong’s Tuesday report on 24 Oras.

(Since the President ordered the banning of POGOs, we have observed a significant decrease in text scams.)

Since the banning of POGOs, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said the number of consumer complaints have dropped.

“Tahimik ‘yung mga phones natin for scam na promos, iba’t ibang uri ng promos,” DICT spokesperson Aboy Paraiso said.

(Our phones received noticeably less promo scams and other kinds of promos.)

Thousands of SIM cards were seized during PAOCC’s POGO raids, including the raided POGO in Las Piñas.

According to PAOCC, the SIMs used in text scams and harassment such as online 'pautang' or loans came from POGO hubs.

“Alam nila nagsasara na yung mga POGO, yun ang source nila ng mga pre-registered SIM cards. Sila yung mga may makina na that registers the SIM na may fake identity. Pag binenta sa ‘yo ah registered na eh. Ang singilan dyan P500 isa na may fake identities,” PAOCC Usec Gilbert Cruz said.

(They know that POGOs are being shut down. That is where they get their pre-registered SIM cards. The POGOs have machines that register the SIM with a fake identity. It is already registered when they sell it. A registered SIM with a fake identity costs P500.

Cruz said POGOs buy unregistered SIMs from legal telecommunications (telcos) companies because the registration is not monitored.

Under RA 11934 or the SIM Card Registration Act, the end user should register the number of their SIM card.

PAOCC said this provision of the law does not guarantee that the one registering the SIM is a real person.

The DICT said it will audit the telcos’ SIM registration process to assess if it is effective to avoid fake registrations.

As a response to these illegal activities, DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy has ordered the formation of a SIM Card Registration Annual Audit Task Force.

The task force will verify registered SIM users using the National ID system.

According to Globe Telecom, their SIMs remain deactivated until it is registered and verified. It can only be used after it is successfully verified.

Globe said they will follow with the DICT’s audit since it is stated in the law.

DITO Telecommunity also said it is in favor of the audit since this will help Filipinos.

DITO said it has its own app that blocks over 19,000 fake accounts, and that it has 14 million successful registrants.

Meanwhile, Smart Communications said it filters fake accounts and validates SIM registrations.Smart added the company follows the rules set by the National Telecommunications Commission to identify fake identities.—Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News