Those sneaky snakes

Those sneaky snakes | Daily Tribune

It looks like digital scammers have been out in full force since Republic Act 11934, or the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act, came into play. Have they been given a free pass to bombard our phones with all sorts of nonsense?

From bingo invites to online gaming temptations, and let’s not forget the classic “your parcel is lost, please claim it ASAP,” these scammers are really pulling out all the stops to reel us in.

Technology in today's interconnected world has revolutionized how we communicate, work, and live.

With smartphones offering the convenience and speed of communication, it's no surprise that scammers have found new avenues to exploit unsuspecting individuals—text scams are one of the most prevalent and insidious forms of digital deception.

Text scams, also known as phishing or smishing, are on the rise. Scammers send fake messages to steal your information, get you to click on malicious links, even trick you into sending cash. They pretend to be trusted companies such as banks, government agencies, or tech companies and offer true-good-to-be-true deals to dupe us.

Some messages create a sense of urgency or emergency, prompting immediate action, like a family member figured in an accident and is fighting for life in the hospital, leveraging psychological tactics to catch victims off guard and bypass their critical thinking.

Another prevalent form involves enticing recipients with fake product offers, prizes, or opportunities in exchange for personal information or payment. Whether it's a fraudulent lottery win, a discounted product, or a job offer that seems to be made in heaven – all aim to exploit people's desire for financial gain or personal advancement, luring them into a trap of deceit and exploitation.

Apart from text scams about fake vacations, some scammers pretend to be your long-lost cousin in another foreign country, asking for your bank details to send you a hefty inheritance.

These text scammers are like that friend who always promises to pay you back but never does, you can’t believe a word he says — thanks to the SIM Registration Act.

In the Philippines, according to the police Anti-Cybercrime Group, online scams accounted for over half of the documented cybercrimes this year.

From 1 January to 7 December 2023, out of 19,884 recorded cybercrimes, 11,071 cases or 55.67 percent were identified as online scams. The second most prevalent type of cybercrime was illegal access under Republic Act 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Law, with 3,181 cases representing 15.99 percent.

Global statistics in 2020 showed 62 percent of reported scams were attempted online or via smartphones.

Who experiences scams? According to a 2021 report by Atlas VPN, approximately 35 percent of online users worldwide have encountered an online scam or fraud. Around $55 billion was lost to scammers in 2022 — a 15.7 percent increase from 2021.

Data from the gitnux.org website reveals that more than 60 percent of online scams originate in Asia, with China accounting for approximately 30 percent of all scam attempts.

While we wait until kingdom come for the government to prove that the SIM Registration Act does not defeat its purpose, those annoying little messages will keep popping up on our phones. The sneaky snakes of the digital world will always be lurking around, ready to strike when we least expect it… every day, in fact.

Skepticism, caution, and awareness are what it takes to outsmart digital tricksters and keep our online lives safe and secure.

We were not born yesterday, so we should be able to smell a scam from a mile away.