Converge ICT Solutions Inc., the leading fiber broadband provider in the Philippines, has joined forces with the Department of Information and Communication Technology – Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (DICT-CICC) and Scam Watch Pilipinas, alongside private sector partners, to launch UnMatchPH. This collaborative effort aims to raise awareness and protect the public against the rising threat of cyber “love scams.”
Scam Watch Pilipinas reports that romance-based online fraud has been a persistent issue in the Philippines, particularly during February, and they anticipate an increase in such scams this month.
At the heart of this partnership is the CICC, serving as the primary government agency to receive cybercrime reports from the public. According to the CICC, Filipinos lose approximately PHP1B each year to various online scams.
“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,” according to Jay-Anne Encarnado, Converge Vice President and Corporate Communications and Public Relations Head.
The Inter-Agency Response Center (I-ARC), a collaboration involving the CICC, Department of Information, Communications, and Technology (DICT), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), National Privacy Commission (NPC), Philippine National Police (PNP), and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), functions as the centralized cybercrime response unit.
As the “love month” kicks off, ScamWatch PH, Converge, and their government and non-government partners are urging the public, especially women, to remain vigilant against romance scams that target both Filipinos and foreigners. The UnMatchPH campaign will utilize social media platforms, with Converge and Scam Watch Pilipinas disseminating information through various channels and publications, including newspapers, to warn the public about the dangers of falling victim to these scams.
Scam Watch Pilipinas unveiled the eight most common love scam profiles circulating among the public during a press conference. Supporting the campaign, partners such as BPI Philippines, GoTyme Bank, and Gogolook expressed their commitment to combatting this issue.
“The proliferation of these scams are expected to increase because of the season. The rationale behind this partnership is to educate citizens. The three pillars of cybersecurity culture are government, private sector, and the individual and the weakest among these is the individual, hence the emphasis on education,” said Art Samaniego, Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Lead Convenor and Manila Bulletin Technology Editor.
Romance scams typically involve the creation and manipulation of a personal relationship to extort money, goods, or even drugs from the victim. These scams often begin as online ‘matches’ through dating apps or social media.
ScamWatch Pilipinas plans to feature victim testimonials, reaching out to local barangays and parishes to expand the reach of their information campaign. The organization urges the public to save the Inter-Agency Response Center (I-ARC) Hotline 1326 on their mobile devices for immediate assistance in case of need.