Smart Communications, the wireless unit of telecom leader PLDT, reiterated that it does not sell pre-registered subscriber identity modules (SIMs.)
Smart also advise customers to buy SIMs from authorized Smart dealers only for their protection.
To help crack down on SIMs being used in text scams, Smart said it continues to improve existing reporting mechanisms to purge its network of mobile numbers being used in criminal activities.
While enhancing its cybersecurity solutions, it has also improved internal processes to ensure that distributed SIMs comply with regulations in place.
Prior to these efforts, Smart has strengthened SIM registration controls to weed out non-conforming registrants, in compliance with what the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) had required all telcos to implement back in December 18, 2023. Smart has adopted “live selfie” and liveness checks, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and facial recognition and matching. Smart has also disabled uploading of stock selfies. It has, likewise, improved verification measures prior to activation of SIMs.
“On top of this active collaboration with their regulators, PLDT and Smart are upgrading cybersecurity solutions to boost blocking of malicious text messages. We are also improving reporting platforms to make it easier for employees and the public to submit screen shots and other information related to SMShing,” said Jojo G. Gendrano, SVP and Chief Information Security Officer at PLDT and Smart.
PLDT meanwhile said it is working closely with government regulators to further protect customers from text scams and other fraudulent activities.
This is in line with the Philippine government’s efforts to strengthen the security and resilience of the country’s cyberspace under the National Cybersecurity Plan 2023-2038, as articulated by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in his State of the Nation Address 2024.
“Consistent with our multi-stakeholder campaign against SMShing and similar deceitful schemes,” said John Y. Palanca, SVP and Head of Sales and Development at PLDT and Smart.
The PLDT group also actively collaborates with law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute parties behind text scams and other financial crimes. It continues to engage its peers in the industry, as well as allies from the public and private sectors, to implement impacting programs that will put an end to SMShing and other fraudulent activities. If you receive suspicious messages or calls, please report them to cybersecurityincidents@smart.com.ph and cybersecurityincidents@pldt.com.ph or to Smart’s verified and official social media pages – Smart Communications on Facebook and @SmartCares on X – or call our hotline *888.
