Manila: The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) alongside Globe Telecom has issued a warning to the public regarding a new SMS phishing scam that impersonates Globe’s reward points program. This scam deceitfully alerts individuals about the expiration of their reward points, urging them to redeem these points by clicking on an embedded link.

According to Philippines News Agency, CICC Executive Director Alexander Ramos highlighted that the fraudulent website offers a ‘Globe Menu’ which lists items supposedly available for redemption with the points. The site is cleverly crafted to deceive users into providing sensitive personal information, including shipping and financial details, under the guise of covering partial costs for the rewards. Ramos expressed concern over the scam’s ability to evade a National Telecommunications Commission memorandum aimed at blocking clickable URLs in SMS messages.

The phishing scheme, identified through a preliminary CICC investigation, reportedly commenced
on November 27, 2024, with the scam originating from an IP address based in Bucharest, Romania. Ramos emphasized the necessity for enhanced collaborative efforts to combat SMS-based phishing tactics. He advised the public to contact the Inter-Agency Response Center (IARC) via the toll-free hotline 1326, operational round-the-clock, if they have fallen victim to the scam.