Scam text surge: How you can stay safe

It's a shared experience of virtually every Filipino with a cellphone - receiving a message saying you 'qualify' for a loan, or that a parcel you didn't order is awaiting delivery, or a great job opportunity is open to you. Notwithstanding the mandatory sim card registration in the Philippines, Scam text messages (also called 'smishing' or SMS phishing) continue to hound our everyday lives.

- By MARK ISAIAH DAVID

In recent years, scam messages have changed from harmless annoyances to serious threats. Phone users continue to get missed delivery notices, account verification alerts, prize-winning announcements, bank contribution warnings, traffic violation messages, and even fake job offers often within a single week. Globe and Smart warn that scammers use phone numbers that look official, sometimes even pretending to be telcos or e wallets. These messages look legit, may speak in perfect English, and sound urgent. None are reliable.

One example described by Smart and Maya is 'text hijacking,' where scammers use what appear to be official numbers to send links asking for login credentials or personal details. The telcos emphasize that they never send SMS with such links, yet many users have fallen for these copycat messages. Globe likewise issued a warning, urging users to never react to texts asking them to redeem vouchers or click links purporting to come from the company.

Even government agencies like the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have alerted people. MMDA flagged fake traffic violation messages, emphasizing that these texts lead only to phishing sites designed to steal personal data. This shows how scammers exploit trust in institutions to trick users.

Given how sophisticated these scam texts are, it is fair to say that everyone is in danger. Everyone, including the tech-savvy, can end up as a victim.