Smart Communications Identifies SIM Cards As Source Of Scam Text Messages

Smart Communications: “These unscrupulous messages are being sent through individual SIMs”

SMART COMMUNICATIONS — The telecommunications company announced that individual SIM cards are the source of scam text messages.

On Monday, the telco announced that individual SIM cards, not breaches in telecommunications networks, are the latest source of scam text messages.

Angel Redoble, the FVP and Chief Information Security Officer of PLDT and Smart, said their recent probe bared that those unscrupulous text messages are “being sent through individual SIMs”.

He also explained that those text messages “do not originate from aggregators or their customers”.

“There is no evidence to suggest a breach in our systems that would have given perpetrators access to the mobile numbers and names of our subscribers,” he said. “Upon scrutiny of these spam messages, we have observed that the format of the names mimics the naming conventions used in popular digital services.”

Manila Bulletin reported that Smart is not only blocking SIM cards that send smishing (SMS phishing) messages, but also blocking URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) linked to illegal activities.

Based on a report, PLDT and Smart have so far invested PHP 3 billion in 2021 in order to fortify their cybersecurity infrastructure.

READ ALSO: Telcos Willing To Work With Government On SIM Card Registration Rules

Leah Jimenez, the FVP and Chief Data Privacy Officer of PLDT and Smart, said that they continued to work with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the National Privacy Commission (NPC), and law enforcement agencies in order to identify perpetrators.

Jimenez also said that their focus should be on identifying the source of those scam text messages.

Cathy Yang, FVP & Group Head of PLDT and Smart, said that they will be undertaking public awareness campaigns so that the texting public can identify illegitimate text messages and can protect themselves from being fraud victims.

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