THE Securities and Exchange Commission-Davao City (SEC-Davao) reported receiving 11 investment-related complaints from January to June 2025 across the Davao Region.
Atty. Katrina Jamilla Ponco-Estares of SEC-Davao said that in addition to these cases, the office also recorded 77 complaints related to illegal lending and financing activities during the same period.
“More on online ang mga scams anyone at mostly hindi registered sa SEC at mostly online lang (Most of these scams operate online and are not registered with the SEC),” Estares said during a business forum on Friday, June 20, 2025, at the NCC VP.
Estares noted that victims frequently approach their office seeking guidance, especially when scammers begin to harass them. The number of complaints this year, she added, is similar to the figures reported in 2024.
Investigations have been conducted and the findings submitted to the SEC’s national office. However, Estares explained that identifying and tracking scammers remains difficult because most operate without physical offices and rely on mobile wallet apps such as GCash and PayMaya.
Filing formal complaints can also be challenging when victims are unwilling to come forward as complainants.
SEC-Davao continues to warn the public against engaging in suspicious online lending and investment offers, especially those circulating on social media. Estares said that some schemes deceive individuals by promising loans, only to require upfront payments before releasing any funds.
She urged the public to remain vigilant and not trust everything they see online. Before transacting with any lender, people should verify their accreditation through the official SEC website.
To protect consumers, SEC-Davao has released multiple advisories and is actively coordinating with Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Davao Region to improve monitoring and prevent the spread of online scams. RGP