The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has warned against text messages that allegedly offer jobs but are scams.
According to NTC Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarrios, it is dangerous to click on links from suspicious text messages.
“Yung sinasabi nating wag kayong pumasok sa isang link, delikado po ‘yon. Pagpasok niyo doon, kundi sila manghihingi ng personal information, na kadalasan hinihingi, eh makokopya yung mga information doon sa ating devices,” he said.
According to the official, it is quite difficult to catch those who send scam text messages.
“’Yang mga yan, kung dumaan sa telco facilities dyan, eh prepaid numbers po yan eh. Pagka prepaid number, eh hindi po rehistrado yan. At mahihirapan po yung ating law enforcement agencies na matrack sila kung saan sila, kung sino sila kasi walang identity eh. Wala kang pagsisimulan ng imbestigasyon.”
“Yung pangalawang pinanggagalingan niyan ay yung mga text blasting machine na standalone. Yung hindi dumadaan ng telco facility na nagbubuga yan ng messages at mare-receive po ng mga cellphones within 200m to 2km at yan is palipat-lipat po yan eh. So highly mobile din yan, so yung pagta-track niyan, mahirap din,” the official explained.
Cabarrios said it would be good if the texts were not answered.
NTC warns against fake job offers
“Pagka naka-receive tayo niyan, block the number, tapos delete the message, and kung pwede ireport po doon sa CICC, Cybercrime Investigation Coordinating Center.”
The CICC, Cabarrios said, is the branch office tasked with investigating the sources of suspicious text messages and other crimes committed online.
In January, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) also warned against the spread of text messages that offer fake employment opportunities abroad.
POEA said that if the email or text job offer is suspicious, immediately block the sender and report it to POEA, telecommunications provider, National Privacy Commission (NPC), or National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).
Overseas job applicants are also warned to keep their contact information and not give a copy of their government-issued identification cards and documents to people they do not know.
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