Meta leads Phl anti-scam campaign

Citizen rights advocates and business stakeholders have partnered with Meta and government agencies to launch the “Be Wais at Magduda” anti-scam campaign.

The campaign aims to promote digital literacy and consumer protection from scammers and fraudulent transactions online.

According to SM Supermalls Senior Vice President Joaquin San Agustin, they hope the campaign will empower users to lead secure lives and spot misinformation.

“We hope to empower Filipinos of all ages to become more critical users of digital media, from knowing how to spot, mis and disinformation, to safeguarding our personal data. With it, we make more informed decisions, and lead more secure lives,” San Agustin said.

Bayan Family of Foundations Inc. chairman and president Francisco “Jay” Bernardo III said he hopes the country would have the lowest rate of scam victims in the Asian region.

Bernardo also urged the public to be wise to avoid scams and fraudulent schemes.

Meanwhile, CitizenWatch co-convenor Atty. Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte explained that the Philippines ranked first in the 2023 Asian Scam Report with a scam rate of 35.9 percent.

“We are most interested in our personal safety and security while we push and work with government and the online platforms to strengthen citizens’ cyber protection. We must also arm ourselves with know-how to ensure fraudsters, scammers, and thieves do not succeed,” he said.

Meta, the company behind social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and Threads, is leading the charge in the campaign.

The company said that users’ safety and security are their top priorities and that they are ready to tackle the problem alongside government partners.

Several government agencies have pledged their commitment in combating fraudulent schemes and upholding consumer protection rights and welfare.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said that its goal is to increase the cybersecurity awareness of the general population.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), on the other hand, said it aims to promote financial literacy through the campaign.

SEC Commissioner Mcjill Bryant Fernandez said that scams and fraudulent schemes would become less and less profitable as more Filipinos will be equipped with the necessary tools and information to spot them.

While the SEC admits there’s a lot of work to be done in promoting financial literacy, they are committed to investor and financial consumer protection. The SEC added that campaigns like Be Wais complements their efforts in ensuring the integrity of markets.

The Department of Trade and Industry, meanwhile, assured protection for consumers amid the fast digitalization of marketplaces.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) vowed to protect overseas Filipino workers from victimization, including from debt trap.

“The incomes of OFW deserve as intense and strong protection as we give to OFW human and employment rights,” DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.

He added that the DMW would teach OFWs to save, plan, and invest for a better future for their families, their communities and the Philippines.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also played a role in the launch of the campaign as it assists entrepreneurs in developing their businesses.

“Supporting the development of the “Be Wais at Magduda” campaign aligns with our ongoing efforts to combat fraud, to support our consumers and protect them and empower Filipinos to stay safe online,” USAID Philippines Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Development and Governance Eric Florimon-Reed said.

“At USAID, we believe in fostering a vibrant and inclusive digital ecosystem. Our current initiative, the Strengthening of Private Enterprises for the Digital Economy or SPEED activity aligns perfectly to the goals of today’s campaign. SPEED is dedicated to integrating small and medium enterprises to [the] digital marketplace, improving their capacities for e-commerce and increasing consumer awareness and protection,” he added.