Globe-blocked SIMs surge in 2023

MANILA, Philippines — Wireless giant Globe Telecom Inc. kept its foot on the pedal in terms of detecting fraud in 2023, quadrupling the number of SIMs it deactivated for their involvement in the distribution of spam messages.

Based on data from Globe, the telco blacklisted a total of 220,669 SIMs last year, sustaining the intensity of its campaign against digital fraud even with SIM registration in place.

The figure increased by four times compared to the 55,559 SIMs blocked in 2022, as Globe kept an eye out for new forms of malicious activities online.

Broken down, the bulk of the deactivated SIMs came from other networks at 213,148, while the remainder originated from Globe’s base at 7,521. Globe noted that the number of blocked SIMs from rival telcos increased, but those from its own portfolio decreased.

Globe chief information security officer Anton Bonifacio committed that the company will keep on investing in the improvement of its protection systems. He said Globe understands the need to tighten security measures, as fraudsters adopt new ways of targeting victims.

“Our aggressive measures against online fraud, especially in deactivating and blacklisting SIMs, are a testament to our commitment to creating a safer digital environment,” Bonifacio said.

“We are constantly evolving our strategies and technologies to stay ahead of threats and to ensure the highest level of security and trust in our services,” he added.

Globe operates an anti-fraud channel called StopSpam where subscribers may upload images of unsolicited text messages and provide necessary details for possible blacklisting.

Globe has spent $20 million to expand the capabilities of its Security Operations Center, which runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week in filtering unwanted messages from both domestic and foreign sources. The telco banks on this facility in detecting circulating spams.

In general, the Globe group is expanding its security network to intensify efforts against online fraud, acknowledging that digital platforms are now used for everyday transactions.

GCash, for instance, entered into a tie-up with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to strengthen their efforts in tracking down financial crimes in the app.

The agreement mandates GCash to share with the NBI the e-wallet details of reported criminals, providing the agency additional support in investigating and prosecuting fraudsters.

With the NBI’s authority in hand, GCash for its part may ask financial institutions to prevent a particular individual or group from completing transactions pending investigation.