Ayala-owned Globe reported that it has deactivated and blacklisted 58,234 SIMs linked to fraud and malicious texts, as part of its campaign against scam and spam SMS through its #StopSpam portal.
The figure represents a striking 226.22% increase from 17,851 during the equivalent period last year, Globe said. Over these six months, Globe said it has blacklisted 53,533 SIMs and deactivated an additional 4,701.
The figures were the result of Globe’s #StopSpam initiative, which facilitates the reporting of mobile numbers linked to spam and scam messages and calls. Through the StopSpam portal, customers can simply upload screenshots of unwarranted text messages, and fill in necessary details such as the sender’s number or caller ID, the recipient’s number, and any suspicious links received.
“As we stride forward into the digital age, our foremost commitment at Globe remains to ensure the safety and security of our valued customers. We have taken a strong stance against online fraud, as demonstrated by our stringent measures in deactivating and blacklisting SIMs, including providing a reporting mechanism for our customers through the #StopSpam portal,” Anton Bonifacio, Globe chief information security officer, said.
In addition to blacklisting and deactivating SIMs, Globe also successfully intercepted a staggering 2.19 billion scam and spam messages just in the first half of 2023. This represents an increase of approximately 360%, compared to the 615.01 million messages blocked during the same period the previous year.
Globe also said it has made substantial investments in detection and blocking systems. The company invested $20 million in its Security Operations Center, which operates 24/7 to screen out undesired messages from both international and domestic sources.
