MANILA - Globe has once again warned the general public to be vigilant against SMS spoofing after the resurgence of cases where many consumers are victimized by scammers.

Spoofing is employed by fraudsters using names of reputable organizations or even telcos to take advantage of customers’ trust.

"Spoofing involves fraudsters impersonating legitimate SMS sender IDs, including Globe and other organizations, to trick recipients into believing that the messages are authentic. This technique has become increasingly prevalent, particularly in Metro Manila, despite the implementation of SIM registration last year aimed at curbing SMS fraud," the company said in a statement.

"Customers have reported receiving spoofed messages that mimic Globe's sender ID, enticing them with fraudulent links or else hooking them with claims of account problems. These deceptive messages aim to steal personal and sensitive information, which can grant scammers access to online accounts such as social media profiles, e-wallets, and bank accounts," said Anton Bonifacio, Globe's Chief Information Security Officer.

The Ayala-led telco advises the public to observe the following practices:

●       Never click on links from unknown sources.

●       Never share personal information via SMS.

●       Regularly update your knowledge on the latest scam tactics.

●       Be wary of unsolicited messages that offer deals that seem too good to be true.

●       Turn on spam filters on your phone, if feature is available. 

Globe clarified that spoof messages do not come from telcos and the scam messages do not pass through their system. A gadget is used usually in a vehicle or even backpacks that captures numbers where the scam messages are sent.