The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) reports fewer text scams as the Dec 31 Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) ban nears.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) reported a significant decrease in the number of text scams as the deadline for the complete ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) or Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs) approaches.
During an interview on the sidelines of a workshop on government digitalization cooperation, DICT Undersecretary for e-Government David Almirol Jr. noted a substantial decline in text scam incidents, particularly as the December 31, 2024 deadline set by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. draws near.
"Malaki ang pagbabago talaga. Sobrang laki. Dati inuulan kami ng mga tawag eh sa aming e-report. Pero ngayon, declining talaga yung report talaga ng text cam ngayon. Sobrang declining (There has been a big change, truly a significant one. Before, we used to get flooded with calls for our e-reports. But now, the reports through the text scam platform are really declining. It's drastically declining)," Almirol said, as reported by the Inquirer.
While the DICT focuses on e-government initiatives and doesn't handle law enforcement regarding text scams, Almirol emphasized the importance of eradicating these illegal activities.
POGOs are businesses offering online gambling services primarily to foreign customers. Their presence in the Philippines has been a source of controversy, with concerns raised about their potential links to money laundering, illegal activities, and increased crime rates.
A recent report titled "The State of Scams in the Philippines 2024," published by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance last October, revealed that Filipinos lost an astounding $8.1 billion—approximately P460 billion—to text scams over the past year.
This staggering amount represents about 1.9 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. On average, each victim suffered a financial loss of $275, or roughly P16,000, due to fraudulent schemes.
The study also highlighted that 39 percent of respondents in the Philippines had fallen victim to scammers, yet only three percent managed to recover their lost money, underscoring the difficulties in addressing such crimes.
Read related article: P460 Billion Lost to Scams in PH, POGO Operations Linked
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