THE Social Security System-Davao Region (SSS) urged its members and the general public to ignore and delete text messages sent by unscrupulous individuals pretending to be officers of the state-run social insurance.
SSS-Davao spokesperson Dennis Calo posted on his Facebook account that they have been receiving spam-related reports regarding the benefit claims and expiring contribution payments wherein members are advised to click the given link, My.SSS registration.
“Please be aware of the new smishing received by most SSS members. This is NOT legit. When you click on the link, you will eventually be redirected to a FAKE site (Pharming) to collect your personal information (Phishing),” the official clarified, further reiterating that legit SSS text messages or announcements do not contain or include links.
“If you receive this kind of text or inquiry, kindly advise to DO NOT click on any link and delete immediately from their inbox. If they accidentally clicked on the link, DO NOT provide any information. If unintentionally provided information (e.g. username and password), CHANGE THE PASSWORD immediately. BEWARE of sites that are not secure,” he added.
If incidents like this happen, Calo told SunStar Davao on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, that members should immediately file a report to their investigation team to resolve their concerns.
“We urge all SSS members and stakeholders to remain vigilant against scam text messages with the Caller ID “SSS” that contain clickable links. Please be reminded that these are fraudulent messages. If you receive such suspicious texts, promptly report them to the SSS Fraud Investigation Department via email at fid@sss.gov.ph,” Calo said.
On September 22, the Philippine government signed the SIM Registration Act, officially designated as Republic Act No. 11934 and commonly referred to as the SIM card law. Users of mobile devices are required to register their SIM cards, whether they are postpaid or prepaid, under the measure. The goal of the law's enactment was to stop cybercrime, particularly “scam and phishing texts”. Additionally, the law seeks to address problems with hate speech, trolling, and internet disinformation.
However, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) acknowledged that despite the enactment of the law, scam messages and text fraud persist. The DICT intends to collaborate with legislators, government organizations, and other interested parties to help develop new, future-proof cybersecurity regulations. DEF