A party-list lawmaker wants the House of Representatives to look into the effectiveness of the government’s supposed tactics against surging spam and smishing messages.

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee filed House Resolution (HR) No. 334 for this purpose, even as he underscored the need to protect mobile phone users' rights to privacy and security, and prevent these scammers from causing more harm.

“It is the duty of the government to ensure that the consumers’ right to privacy is protected and that they are not victimized by fraudulent activities facilitated through spam and phishing messages,” the Sorsogon-based lawmaker said in a statement Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Should the House act on the measure, the legislator will hold a probe on the intervention being implemented by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), National Privacy Commission (NPC) and other government agencies against the problem

Last Nov. 23, 2021, the NPC alarmingly reported that based on their initial investigation, the recent smishing attacks and activities in the country are run by a global crime syndicate.

"Smishing" is defined as the fraudulent practice of sending text messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.

Cyber security experts revealed that the personal information of subscribers collected by scammers through data breaches are sold on the dark web. In the past weeks, citizens reported that these text spams even contained their names.

The solon said the invisible perpetrators have been taking advantage of the vulnerability of many Filipinos by promising jobs and money.

“The government must come up with an effective intervention to stop the proliferation of these unsolicited text messages," Lee said.

"Kailangan ding ma-educate nang maayos ang ating mga kababayan kung paano marereport ang ganitong panloloko, kung saan sila tatawag at ano pa ang dapat nilang gawin para maiwasan ito (Our countrymen must also be educated properly on how to report on this kind of fraud, as well as who to call and how to avoid this altogether),” he added.
“During these times that internet or social media has made it easier for some evil quarters to victimize others, we call on our countrymen to be more alert and cautious,” Lee concluded.