Globe, CICC Warn of Phishing Scam Using Fake Rewards

MANILA, Philippines— The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and Globe Telecom Inc. have issued an alert about a new phishing scam that utilizes legitimate Globe SMS threads to steal personal and financial information.

CICC Executive Director Alexander K. Ramos revealed that the fraud sends SMS messages saying that Globe rewards points are about to expire. These messages encourage users to click on a malicious link in order to redeem non-existent points.

“This new scheme is dangerous and alarming since perpetrators appear to have bypassed a National Telecommunications Commission memorandum on blocking clickable URLs in SMS,” Ramos explained. He also emphasized the importance of better coordination in the battle against SMS-based phishing.

The phishing effort was tracked back to a website registered on November 27, 2024, with an IP address in Bucharest, Romania. The fraud begins by telling consumers that their Globe rewards points are about to expire. Victims are sent to a bogus “Point Expiration Reminder” page that looks like the real Globe website.

When visitors arrive at the fraudulent website, they are presented with a “Globe Menu” of alleged things for which they may exchange their points. This is designed to persuade users that they are eligible for prizes and urge them to provide sensitive personal information.

After picking a reward, victims are sent to a Shipping Address Form, where they are requested for personal information such as their name, address, and contact information. Following that, the site takes customers to an “Online Payment” page that asks for credit card data. The website erroneously implies that an “extra payment” is necessary to process the award, which is essentially a scam to get bank information.

The ultimate purpose of the phishing site is to obtain personal and payment information, which can result in unlawful transactions, identity theft, and financial fraud.

The CICC urges people who suspect they have fallen victim to the phishing scam to call the Inter-Agency Response Center (IARC) Hotline at 1326. The hotline is toll-free and available at all times, including holidays.

Final Thoughts:

Stay watchful as fraudsters develop new approaches. Always confirm the validity of messages, especially those that request critical information. If in doubt, do not click any links and report any suspicious behavior right once. Protecting your data is critical in avoiding the financial and emotional consequences of identity theft.