Local telco Globe Telecom has issued an advisory for customers to stay vigilant and to protect their personal data to prevent being victims of fraud.
The operator said a modus called “SIM swap scam” is the latest scheme being carried out by scammers wherein perpetrators take over an individual’s financial accounts such as bank accounts, e-wallets, and credit cards.
The modus often involves a victim who’s been long targeted for the scam, said Globe. The fraudster has invested time to gather bank account details, email addresses, online credentials, personal facts and identification together with the mobile number registered with the bank for sending a one-time password (OTP). The last step will be to take over the SIM of the mobile number registered for the OTP.
Globe urged its customers to use strong and unique passwords for their digital accounts, change it regularly, and use other authentication methods such as security keys, applications, or device prompts.
“Globe advises its customers not to share personal information such as birth dates, anniversary dates, TIN, school or company ID, passport details and other information on social media, as these may compromise a customer’s safety. Scammers and fraudsters may get the answer to your security questions from these details,” the company said.
Scammers may also call pretending to be telco or bank representatives requiring some personal information and bank details in exchange for some offers or perks. Bank statements, utility bills, delivery packages, and other documents that contain one’s personal information disposed of in an unsecured manner can also be a source of identity theft, the telco said.
Here are the indications one may have been victimized by a SIM swap scam:
- There is a sudden loss of mobile signal
- Notifications of so-called log-in attempts or activities are also received via email which the victim did not perform
Here’s what you can do if a SIM swap occurs:
- Immediately change password/PIN of bank and digital accounts
- Monitor digital and financial accounts
- Call Globe (211) or visit the nearest Globe Store to temporarily deactivate the line
- Inform the concerned bank about the incident and report to concerned authorities
Globe said postpaid users may go to the new GlobeOne app under “Account Requests” or call 211 to request temporary line disconnection. Both postpaid and prepaid customers may go to the nearest Globe Store to recover their mobile number and get a SIM replacement.
Globe said it is also implementing stricter measures to prevent unauthorized SIM change. For replacement of lost SIM, a 24-hour SIM reactivation is observed to allow a stronger customer verification.
Also, a notarized Affidavit of Loss is also mandatory requirement with the banks which require the same document when replacing lost cards and other financial records.
