GLOBE Telecom, Inc. said on Monday that it blocked more than 32.2 million scam and spam text messages in just two weeks after it started implementing measures to block uniform resource locators (URLs) in person-to-person text messages.
“The amount of text messages with clickable links we blocked within just about two weeks shows the staggering number of spam and scam SMS (short message service) that disrupt and threaten customers every day. This is empirical proof that our security measure was warranted,” Globe Chief Information Security Officer Anton Reynaldo M. Bonifacio said in a press release on Monday.
The telecommunication company said that the figure only covers Sept. 28 until Oct. 13, which means that Globe blocked about 2.4 million SMS with clickable links daily since it started blocking SMS with clickable links.
For the nine months to September, the company said that it blocked a total of 1.3 billion scam messages.
In September, the National Telecommunications Commission directed telecommunication companies to block or deactivate domains and URLs in scam text messages. Globe said it started blocking SMS with clickable URLs in the last week of September to address worsening text scams.
“We reiterate our call on our customers to remain vigilant as fraudsters will continue to find ways to circumvent measures that aim to thwart them. Do not engage with SMS from anonymous sources making enticing offers,” Mr. Bonifacio said.
Further, Globe said that it spent P1.1 billion on its blocking system and to detect spam and scam SMS. Globe’s security operations centers filter unwanted messages which include filtering unwanted messages, app-to-person and person-to-person SMS of international and domestic sources. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
