Globe works with gov’t to block entry of spoofing devices into PH

MANILA, Philippines — To combat spoofing, Globe has joined forces with law enforcement agencies to stop the importation of devices used in this emerging fraud scheme.

Lawyer Froilan Castelo, Globe’s general counsel, emphasized the urgent need for stronger enforcement to prevent spoofing incidents. Fraudsters send malicious texts to SIMs in a particular area in the guise of legitimate sender IDs using devices called international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) catchers.

These portable devices, imported either in full or in parts for assembly, are used to downgrade targeted SIMs to 2G, allowing fraudsters to send deceptive SMS messages.

“We are collaborating with the government to block the importation and use of IMSI catchers, the main tools behind these security breaches. Enhanced enforcement against spoofing and illegal equipment is essential,” Castelo said.

Surge in spoofing incidents

“SMS spoofing is already criminalized under the Cybercrime Prevention Act. So we are actively coordinating with law enforcement agencies to ensure the arrest of these spoofers,” Castelo said.

READ: Globe moves to stop 8080 ‘spoofing’ messages

Reports of spoofing have seen a rise among mobile phone users as Globe has tightened the noose on the scam and spam SMS through stricter blocking, including filtering out all person-to-person SMS with links and enforcing stringent regulations on app-to-person SMS with URLs.

Globe Chief Information Security Officer Anton Bonifacio advised customers to avoid clicking on unknown links and sharing personal information via SMS.

The telco continues to educate users on digital fraud prevention through extensive public awareness campaigns, aiming to arm individuals against potential threats.