Scam calls surge by 74% in 1Q of 2025

Scam calls in the Philippines increased by 74.32% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous quarter, according to data from anti-scam application Whoscall. 

“Whoscall data reveals a dramatic 74.32% increase in scam calls in Q1 2025, reaching 351,699 compared to the 201,760 recorded in the previous quarter (Q4 2024),” Whoscall said in a report on Wednesday.

“The year-on-year growth is even more alarming, with a staggering 225.17% rise from the 108,157 scam calls reported in Q1 2024,” it added.

Whoscall app developer Gogolook is the technology convenor of Scam Watch Pilipinas and a private sector partner of the government’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).

“The increase in scam calls clearly demonstrates a shift in scammers' tactics,” Gogolook Philippines Country head Mel Migriño said.

CICC executive director Undersecretary Alexander Ramos said that most of these scam calls were done through social media platforms like Viber.

“That is why I think [National Telecommunications Commission] and us CICC kinukulit namin ang platforms na i-update nila at least quarterly yung kanilang members because outdated yung kanilang registry,” Ramos said in a press conference.

(That is why I think the National Telecommunications Commission us at CICC are urging the platforms to update their members at least quarterly because their registry is outdated.)

“They allowed the creation of their accounts noong wala pa tayong [SIM Registration Act] so walang attribution. They don't know who the real person is behind each number,” he added.

(They allowed the creation of their accounts when we didn't have the SIM Registration Act so there is no attribution. They don't know who the real person is behind each number.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News