LeslieAnn REP. TIANGCO TO NTC, TELCOS: CURB TEXT SCAMS, ENFORCE SIM CARD LAW

House Committee on Information and Communications Technology Chair and Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco called on the National Telecommunications Commission to engage stakeholders in addressing the problem of text scams in the country. 

Tiangco said the strict implementation of the SIM Registration Act could be a game-changer in combating text scams.

“One of the main reasons Speaker Romualdez advocated for the SIM Registration Act was to institutionalize regulatory mechanisms capable of effectively addressing fraudulent acts. With the strict implementation of this law, we can gain momentum in both preventing and apprehending individuals or organized syndicates involved in text scams," he added.

The Navotas solon also highlighted the crucial role of the private sector in supporting government efforts to prevent cybercrimes and underscored the need for agencies like the NTC to lead these collaborative programs.

“I always stress the importance of a proactive approach in effectively dealing with cybercrimes. It requires a multi-stakeholder effort, and by properly implementing the SIM Registration Act, we can gain headway in protecting Filipinos from fraudulent acts designed to obtain their personal information or, worse, use their identity for financial gain," Tiangco said.

"The NTC is currently meeting with telco companies and SIM distributors and retailers. They should include in their agenda a specific initiative that will foster close collaboration to curb these scams," he added.

Recently, the Social Security System (SSS) released an advisory warning its members of an ongoing phishing scam done through text messages.

The advisory cautions SSS members to be wary of text messages asking them to click on a link for benefit claims, expiring contribution payments, or MySSS registration.

According to SSS Senior Vice President Norma Doctor, this scam aims to steal personal information, including social security numbers and log-in credentials for MySSS accounts. 

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