Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) has successfully intercepted close to two billion malicious text messages this year, intensifying its efforts to combat text scams.
From January to October, Smart reported blocking these harmful messages, preventing them from reaching customers. During the same period, nearly one million scam-related numbers were blacklisted as part of its crackdown on fraudulent activities.
Patrick Santos, PLDT and Smart's First Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer, revealed that the companies intercepted over 200 million malicious text messages in October. Additionally, more than 46,000 mobile numbers linked to scam activities were blocked during the same month.
“We urge our customers to be vigilant against text messages embedded with hyperlinks as these usually lead to phishing domains,” Santos said.
Q1 Results: Smart Communications Thwarts 13 Million Fraud Attempts in Q1
The Rise in Fake Cell Towers
Smart is delving deeper into the rising use of fake cell towers, which fraudsters are using to exploit these illegal devices to target unsuspecting individuals.
The company explained that fake cell towers enable scammers to send messages directly to mobile users in specific areas, bypassing the telco network’s infrastructure. These messages often mimic legitimate sources, making them harder to detect.
To combat this, Smart has introduced a location field in its HuliScam public anti-scam reporting portal. This feature helps track areas where customers commonly receive such messages, aiding in the identification of fake cell tower operations.
The PLDT Group is also working closely with the National Telecommunications Commission and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute perpetrators of smishing (SMS phishing) scams.
Smart has introduced a campaign to educate the public on common tactics used by scammers to commit fraud. The company encourages customers to report incidents of text scams and smishing through its dedicated anti-scam platform. Along with the sender's mobile number, users are asked to provide details such as the suspicious message, any malicious links included, and the location where the text was received.
Smart emphasized that this information is crucial in identifying and preventing further fraudulent activities.
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