The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said that scammers are now working “double time” as the deadline for the subscriber identification module (SIM) cards draws closer.

DICT Undersecretary Ana Lamentillo said that based on their coordination with authorities, the scammers are aware that after the deadline of April 26, 2023, all unregistered SIM cards will be deactivated.

This means that if they try to scam anew, they can easily be traced.

“Ayon sa PNP, napansin nila ang pag-double time ng mga scammer habang patuloy pa ang SIM registration. Sinasamantala nila na hindi pa naka-register ang lahat ng SIM,” Lamentillo said.

(According to the PNP, they noticed that the scammers are working double time while the SIM registration is ongoing. They are taking advantage of those who have not registered their SIMs)

The DICT official said that they had been coordinating with police in order to help curb scammers via text and online.

“Ang DICT ay handang makipagtulungan sa PNP dahil ang layunin ng SIM Registration Law ay matigil ang scams at iba’t ibang mga modus na ginagawa sa pamamagitan ng text messages at tawag,” Lamentillo said.

(The DICT is ready to help the PNP because our aim in the SIM Registration Law is to stop the scams and other modus being done through text messages and calls)

Meanwhile, Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and value mobile brand TNT said on Wednesday that they continue to ramp up its SIM Registration efforts in Mindanao, to encourage more subscribers to register their SIMs.

In a statement, Smart said that in collaboration with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), they deployed registration booths in remote communities in the Davao Region, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Caraga and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“Let’s all help stop text scams and register our SIMs now!” encouraged NTC Region 10 Regional Director Ted Buenavista, calling on the public to do their part.

SIM owners have until April 26, 2023, to register their SIMs before these will be deactivated.  Subscribers are advised to register their SIMS to keep these active and to help fight against scammers and predators online.

CurrentPH News Service