Multisectoral groups join forces vs online scams

MANILA, Philippines — Stepping up the fight against online fraud and scams, several government agencies have teamed up with the private sector and advocacy groups for an education campaign focused on bolstering consumer protection online.

The “Be Wais” Civic Education Campaign against Fraud and Scams aims to increase awareness among the public about the various types of scams, empowering them to spot and avoid the prevalent fraudulent activities online.

The months-long campaign kicked off last Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, spearheaded by advocacy groups Bayan Academy and Citizen Watch Philippines.

Representatives from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Philippines graced the event, along with private sector partners Meta and SM Supermalls.

The group released the first of a series of educational videos illustrating the deceptive tactics of various scams, such as online shopping scams, phishing or bank scams, job scams, love scams, investment scams, and brand impersonation scams. These videos will also be shared on the social media platforms of the government agencies, the private sector and advocacy partners.

The key message is to ‘Be wise and skeptical (Be wais at magduda)’ when confronted with the scammers’ various modus operandi.

In 2023, the Philippine National Police recorded over 19,000 cybercrime incidents, marking an almost 70 percent increase from the previous year. The majority of these cases, or approximately 14,000 incidents, were related to online scams.

Recent government data indicates a 20 percent rise in cybercrime cases during the first quarter of the year compared to the last quarter of 2023.

The Philippines topped the list for online shopping scam rates in the 2023 Asia Scam Report, a survey conducted by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance in partnership with the Taiwan-based tech security company Gogolook.

With the rampant spread of counterfeit and substandard items online, Trade Secretary Fred Pascual urged consumers to be more discerning and meticulous when buying products online.

“We want to remind our consumers to remember a few key things when purchasing online: First, ensure that the online seller is legitimate by checking if they have a business address, email, and contact number. Second, be cautious with the prices online – they might not be the same as the actual item. A huge price difference can serve as a warning to thoroughly check the item. Lastly, look up the business’s trade name on the DTI website to avoid dealing with businesses that are not legitimate or registered properly,” the DTI chief emphasized.