Globe arms 3 PH agencies with IMSI Catcher Detector to fight mobile scams

Local telco giant Globe earlier donated 3 units of IMSI Catcher Detector to the Philippine authorities.

Globe donates IMSI Catcher Detector to PH government

Fight against mobile scams

The telco partnered with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for this effort to identify and locate unauthorized signal activity, strengthening the country’s ability to detect and respond to mobile security threats.

Globe executives (from left) Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer; Anton Bonifacio, Chief AI Officer and Chief Information Security Officer; and Atty. Froi Castelo, Group General Counsel, lead the turnover of IMSI Catcher Detectors to government partners PCOL Joselito G. Esico, Chief of Staff, PNP-CIDG; Atty. Ella Lopez, Commissioner, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC); and Usec. Renato Paraiso, Executive Director, Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC). Joining the ceremony are Director Alvin Navarro of the CICC, Director Rodil Aniban of the DICT Cyber Security Bureau, and Deputy Commissioner Andy Castelar of the NTC.

IMSI Catcher Detector is a tool to identify and alert the authorities of fake cell towers (also known as cell-site simulators) in real time, significantly improving response speed and enforcement actions.

These capabilities enable authorities to expand monitoring in high‑risk, crowded areas, strengthening protection for millions of mobile users nationwide.

In PH, these are sometimes used by scammers for SMS Phishing (Smishing) to hijack legitimate sources like banks and telcos and send text messages that appear authentic with scam links to steal personal info or financial credentials. This allows scammers to receive clickable links normally blocked by telcos like Globe.

Meanwhile, criminals can capture sensitive data like one-time passwords (OTPS) by forcing the phone of the victim down to an insecure 2G connection.

See also: PH eyes 2G and 3G networks phaseout

With ISMI catcher detectors, authorities and telecommunication companies can identify, locate, and eventually stop fraud and scams. 

Globe said that this is a "proactive protection" with a goal of staying ahead of evolving threats to eventually help protect the hard-earned earnings of Filipinos.

CIDG warns fraudsters that they are "listening, tracking, and coming for you."

The threats we are seeing today operate at a deeper level, and addressing them requires stronger systems and closer coordination, said Froilan Castelo, Group General Counsel at Globe. We see it as our responsibility not only to provide connectivity, but to make sure that it remains safe and secure for every Filipino who relies on it.

What this initiative enables is visibility where it matters most, said Anton Bonifacio, Chief AI Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Globe. By detecting unauthorized signal activity, we can support faster investigation and response, which is critical in addressing threats like fake base stations.

Every scam message is not just a digital threat. It affects real people, their finances, their safety, and their peace of mind, said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer. That is why efforts like this matter. It strengthens our ability to detect threats earlier, respond faster, and most importantly, protect Filipinos in a more coordinated way.

Globe is working with government and law enforcement to share intelligence, strengthen enforcement, and enhance protection—part of its broader commitment to digital trust and safe connectivity.

Globe also warned that sudden signal loss or a switch to 2G may indicate a security breach—urging users to avoid clicking links in SMS.

To recap, Globe is also the first telco to block all P2P SMS with clickable links, has removed links from official advisories, and launched the SMS Scam Shield on GlobeOne to stop spoofed IDs and phishing.

In 2025, the telco blocked over 967 million scam messages and deactivated 244,000 fraudulent SIMs.