Converge supports NGO ScamWatchPH, DICT cybercrime unit to combat "love scams"!

Converge ICT Solution has partnered with DICT Cybercrim, Scam Watch Pilipinas, and UnMatchPH to battle "love scams".

Officials' photo ops for fighting against love scams

Love is in the air but scammers are prevalent too!

ScamWatch Pilipinas reports that romance-related internet fraud is widespread in the Philippines and may increase in February (Month of Love).

The CICC is the primary government organization responsible for receiving public cybercrime reports, making it vital to the collaboration. The CICC estimates that internet fraud costs Filipinos approximately Php 1 billion annually.

We urge victims of cybercrime to proactively report to the CICC. We have the Inter-Agency Response Center (IARC) which responds to cybercrime complaints and recovery of hacked accounts,” said CICC Executive Director Alexander Ramos.

The I-ARC is a collaboration between the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), the Department of Information, Communications, and Technology (DICT), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) to respond to cybercrime. The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) serve as the law enforcement arm.

As 'love month' begins, ScamWatch PH, Converge, and its partners urge the public to be wary of romance frauds that target both Filipinos and foreigners.

With this collaboration, we are officially kicking off our Safer Internet campaign this February. We believe that education is key in combating these cybercriminals. As an internet service provider, we want to make sure that our network is not being used for illegal activities. We have always been an advocate of a safe online experience for everyone,” said Converge Vice President and Corporate Communications and Public Relations Head Jay-Anne Encarnado.

The UnMatchPH campaign aimed to warn the public, particularly women, about the hazards of romance scams through social media, Scam Watch Pilipinas outlets, and newspaper articles.

Scams are prevalent and continue to increase. Based on what we’ve seen, love scams fall into several categories. People need to call 1326 and report these incidents so first we can gather data and whenever possible, repair the damage, said Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Founder and Co-Lead Convenor Jocel de Guzman.

The proliferation of these scams is expected to increase because of the season. The rationale behind this partnership is to educate citizens. The three pillars of cybersecurity culture are government, the private sector, and the individual and the weakest among these is the individual, hence the emphasis on education, added Art Samaniego, Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Lead Convenor, and Manila Bulletin Technology Editor.

Scam Watch Pilipinas conducted a press conference on Tuesday, presenting the eight most popular love scam profiles. BPI Philippines, GoTyme Bank, and Gogolook have also declared their support for the initiative.

Be extra careful against fraud!

Romance scams entail using a victim's personal relationship to obtain money, products, or even narcotics. Scams often begin with matches on dating apps or social media.

Furthermore, ScamWatch Pilipinas says it plans to expand its information campaign by featuring victim testimonials at the barangay and parish levels.

ScamWatch Pilipinas is urging the public to save the Inter-Agency Response Center (I-ARC).

In the event of an emergency, they can call Hotline 1326 from their mobile device.

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