Are you being spoofed? Here are telltale signs

Blink and you'll miss

Is your mobile phone being spoofed? There are signs, and you have just seconds to spot them.

Recents months have seen the rise of spoofing, a scamming method where fraudsters pretend to be your trusted brand and send you SMS geared towards collecting your sensitive information without your knowledge.

Spoofing uses a devious device called the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catcher or fake base station, which can be toted around or mounted in vehicles to mess with mobile users within a 2-kilometer radius. The IMSI catcher downgrades your signal to 2G via their faux network, allowing fraudsters to send you messages that look like legit messages from well-known brands, yet are anything but.

Globe warns vs spoofed messages for Rewards claims Redeem Globe Rewards via GlobeOne app

Globe has called on the public to be extra vigilant and never engage with text messages with links directing customers to click to redeem Globe Rewards, as these are scam SMS sent out by fraudsters via spoofing.

Customers have reported receiving spoofed messages impersonating Globe’s sender ID, inviting them to click dubious links supposedly to claim their Globe Rewards.  These malicious links are meant to steal personal information, including credit card details.

Fraudsters are apparently taking advantage of Globe’s push for customers to claim their Rewards before the expiry on March 31, 2024.

All official SMS from Globe do not contain links.

“We call on our customers to please never click on links in SMS pretending to be from Globe. Any text message containing a link from supposed sender ID “Globe” is a fraudulent message done via spoofing. Globe will never send an official advisory with links. Do not fall for enticing offers in these scam messages,” said Darius Delgado, Globe Vice President and Head of Consumer Mobile Business.

He reminded customers that Globe Rewards may only be claimed via one platform: the GlobeOne app.

“Globe Rewards points may only be redeemed via the GlobeOne app. We’d like to encourage our customers to use this official platform, as this is the only place where they can claim rewards,” he said.

Globe warns public vs scams anew as fraudsters shift to new methods amid SIM registration law, telco blocking

Globe reiterates its call for the public to exercise extra vigilance as law enforcers warned of a fresh rise in online and text fraud.

Anton Bonifacio, Globe Chief Information Security Officer, said fraudsters are finding new ways to bait potential victims to circumvent the SIM Registration Act and sustained industry efforts to block spam and scam SMS.

Because of Globe’s tighter regulations, Bonifacio said scammers are increasingly shifting to over-the-top (OTT) media services such as chat apps and spoofing, or the use of illegal devices to trick customer phones, all of which operate outside the scope of telcos.

“As much as we improve our filtering systems and enhance the implementation of the SIM Registration Act, fraudsters continue to find new ways to make victims out of mobile and internet users. We would like to reiterate our appeal to the public: please, please never engage with unsolicited calls, texts or chat messages and never give your personal details to strangers,” said Bonifacio.