BSP Backs Mandatory SIM Card Registration Amidst Rise In Spam Messages

The BSP was backing the mandatory SIM card registration amidst the recent influx of spam messages.

BSP — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas was backing the mandatory SIM (subscriber identification module) card registration amidst the recent influx of spam messages.

BSP
Photo source: ABS-CBN News

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said at his weekly virtual press chat that the increase in phishing or cyber-attacks was “not totally unexpected”.

[G]iven the crisis, the pandemic has resulted in more digitalization, not only in the Philippines but globally,” Diokno said. “So the incidents of these types have increased.

According to Diokno, that they knew exactly what’s wrong with the system, pointing to how easy it was for an individual to buy SIM cards.

READ ALSO: NBI Pushes For 1 Social Media Account Per Person, SIM Card Registration To Prevent Online Scams

Diokno also said that spam messages were not a “major risk” to the “total portfolio” of the banking, but the central constantly reminded its supervised institutions as well as the banking public to be “more protective on their part” and also “protect their passwords” as part of data privacy “personal hygiene”.

Our system is too lenient… we don’t require those with prepaid cards to register. They have to be registered,” Diokno said. “Our system is so loose that we don’t ask for the identity of the card holders.

To recall, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was pushing for a SIM card registration in order to prevent scams.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said last November 23 that the spate of spam messages offering fake jobs was a “cause for concern,” especially because it violated privacy.

According to Cabinet Secretary and acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) was already investigating the matter.

Oo, siyempre, ‘pag privacy issue ‘yan. It’s always a cause for concern not only for IATF but for government and for the public siyempre,” Nograles said in a Presidential press briefing last November 23.

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