MANILA -- Sen. JV Ejercito vowed Friday to scrutinize the Department of Information and Communication’s (DICT) capability in securing the public against cyber scammers after his son was victimized last month by fraudsters pretending to be from a credit card company.
Emilio, according to his father, started to receive calls from unknown numbers and individuals, minutes after receiving his company-issued credit card.
“Mukhang inside job eh. Eto ang dapat tingnan ng bangko at ng lahat. Kasi kakakuha lang niya ng credit card. He’s already working in San Miguel. So nabigyan sya ng credit card. Nung nabigyan sya ng credit, yun, after nun, may mga tumawag na sa kanya, asking for information. Ang nakakapagtaka alam yung info, kaya nasabi kong inside job, alam yung background and lahat,” Ejerito explained.
Thinking that he was talking to real credit card personnel, the scammers succeeded in duping Emilio who later on gave them his OTP (one-time-PIN).
The personal savings of Ejercito’s son between P100,000 to P120,000 was wiped out, the senator said.
“Nalimas yung kanyang savings na ilang taon kong ibinibigay sa kanya, eh matipid tong batang ito, hindi gumagastos. Talagang pag binibigyan ko ng pamasko, birthday, talagang tinatago nya,” the senator said.
The National Bureau of Investigation-Cybecime Division is now tracking down the scammers, Ejercito said.
The senator said more vulnerable people still fall prey to these scams.
Ejercito is also wondering why scammers can still operate and dupe innocent people despite the SIM Registration Law.
DICT officials should explain this matter when they face the Senate for their proposed 2024 budget discussion, Ejercito said.
“Bakit ito nakalusot, dapat naka-register na lahat... ano ang nangyari? After the passage of SIM Registration (Law) bakit andyan pa rin yung mga fraud at yung mga scammers,” he said.