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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Be vigilant: Filipinos warned against 12 major holiday scams

Be vigilant: Filipinos warned against 12 major holiday scams

Published Nov 17, 2025 12:11 pm
(PHOTO: PIXABAY)
(PHOTO: PIXABAY)
Warning of heightened cybercrime activity during the Christmas season, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Monday, Nov. 17, rolled out its nationwide Holiday Watch PH 2025 campaign to raise public vigilance against the Top 12 Scams of Christmas.
CICC Executive Director Usec. Aboy Paraiso said the campaign strengthens the government’s mandate to protect the public from cybercriminals who become more active and “creative” during the holiday period.
“The Holiday Season is when scammers become more aggressive and creative. This awareness campaign is part of our duty to equip every Filipino with the right knowledge so they won’t fall victim to fraudulent messages, fake deliveries, phishing calls, and other cybercrimes. Our goal is simple—to make Christmas safe for every Filipino family,” Paraiso stated.
According to the CICC, the Top 12 holiday scams include: Online Shopping Scam, Fake Delivery Scam, Call Scam, Task/Job Scam, Investment Scam, Love Scam, Loan Scam, Impersonation Scam, Travel Scam, Charity Scam, Middleman Scam, and Online Gambling Scam.
Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Founder and Truth360 Inc. President Jocel de Guzman said the campaign continues to deliver results, now on its third consecutive year.
“Holiday Watch PH has consistently proven effective because it is grounded in the Anti-Scam Quad Model—behavior change, volunteerism, cross-sector collaboration, and technology-enabled reporting,” he said.
“Through our partnership with CICC and the private sector, we have helped drive down text scams and increased public reporting. Awareness saves lives, livelihoods, and Christmas.”
Authorities encouraged the public to adopt the “#KontraScamAttitude” by practicing four key habits: be cautious, be skeptical, ignore suspicious messages, and report scams by calling 1326.
Victims of online fraud are advised to call the National Anti-Scam Hotline (1326), while non-victims may report suspicious messages or links through the eReport section of the eGOVPH app.
Likewise, citizens are encouraged to download the Whoscall app to identify unknown callers and block potential scam numbers.
Mel Migrino, the country head and general manager of Gogolook Philippines, also reminded the public to take proactive steps to protect themselves.
“Being aware of the Top 12 Scams of Christmas empowers Filipinos to avoid fake shopping links, call scams, job scams, impersonation attempts, and other deceptive tactics. We also encourage everyone to download the Whoscall app for real-time caller identification and scam detection,” Migrino said.

Related Tags

HOLIDAY SCAMS CYBERCRIME FILIPINOS 12 SCAMS CHRISTMAS
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