Experts warn public vs. spam text messages offering jobs, announcing raffle winners

Experts have warned the public against the proliferation of spam text messages that offer, among others, high-paying jobs or announce raffle winners.

According to Oscar Oida’s report on “24 Oras”, these text messages are usually being used by scammers whose objective is to obtain the personal details of their victims and scam more victims.

“Kalimitan mga scammer ‘to. Malaki ang posibilidad na kung sino man ang nagpadala nito ay tinatarget ka para manakaw yung password mo, para manakaw ang personal details mo,” Art Samaniego, a technology expert, said.

(Oftentimes, these people are scammers. There’s a big possibility that whoever sent these are targeting you to steal your passwords and personal details.)

The scam messages usually contain a link that asks for the receiver’s basic information such as his name, address, birth date, e-mail address, passwords, and at times, bank details.

The subject of the messages may be the announcement of raffle results, online cockfighting or “e-sabong”, offers of high-paying jobs, online games, and installation of solar lights, among others.

According to Samaniego, the spam texts were sent using an SMS blaster— a machine that simultaneously sends messages to targeted numbers.

“Isa siyang machine na nilagyan ng SIM card tapos lahat ng number na ipapasok mo dun halimbawa from 09170000 hanggang 0917999 padadalhan nya lahat ito ng message. Kaya tawag sa kanya, SMS blaster na isang illegal na machine,” he said.

(It is a machine with a SIM card and then all the numbers you input, for example from 09170000 to 09179999, it will send a message to the. That’s why it is called an SMS blaster which is an illegal machine.)

For its part, the National Telecommunications Committee (NTC) advised the public not to entertain these messages especially if the offer is “too good to be true”.

The NTC also warned the public that perpetrators may commit identity theft on those who fall victim. The scammers will use the private information and pose as their victims to try and swindle more people.

“Puwede silang manloko sa iba na yung personal information mo naibigay mo  so magpapanggap sila na ikaw ‘yon,” said NTC Deputy Commissioner Ed Cabarrios.

(They may scam other people using the personal information you provided. They will pose as you.)

Because scammers usually use prepaid numbers, the NTC admitted it is difficult to identify them. The best way, the NTC said, is to block these messages or refrain from giving out personal information if one would respond. -- Sundy Locus/BAP, GMA News