Globe Telecom’s efforts in the second quarter resulted in a significant drop in blocked spam text messages and deactivated SIMs, but scammers are shifting to other channels, undermining these anti-fraud measures.
The telco giant reported a 79 percent annual decline to about 236 million from over 1 billion messages during the same period last year.
Additionally, the number of deactivated SIMs reported through Globe’s #StopScam portal fell drastically from 4,054 in Q2 2023 to just 504 in Q2 2024, plummeting 88 percent from last year.
“We have observed a consistent decline in spam SMS—those that pass through the cellular network—as we continue to implement stringent filtering systems, including blocking person-to-person SMS with links,” Anton Bonifacio, Globe’s chief information security officer and chief AI officer, said in a statement.
“We reiterate our advice to our customers to remain vigilant and never engage with any unsolicited message they receive, whether via SMS or chat apps, particularly those with dubious offers,” he added.
Globe observed the increasing use of IMSI catchers and fake cell towers, bypassing telecom filters.
“Globe is committed to staying ahead of these threats by enhancing our security protocols across all channels,” Bonifacio said.
