The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center (CICC) is taking a multi-pronged approach to address the growing number of online crimes in the Philippines, particularly scams, according to CICC Director Alex Ramos.
During a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Ramos emphasized the role of the SIM card registration law, enacted in 2022 to hold individuals accountable for criminal activities conducted through prepaid SIM cards.
Before the law was passed, law enforcement agencies had limited capabilities in tracing perpetrators using prepaid SIM cards.
“So the SIM card registration was implemented to remind everyone that we have accountability when we use technology like cell phones with SIM cards. We’re responsible for this, okay? It means it’s for personal use,” Ramos said.
Since the law’s implementation, hundreds of individuals have been apprehended, including those selling preregistered SIM cards and using fake accounts for fraudulent activities.
“The positive effect is clear: we are catching people,” Ramos said.
However, the CICC director highlighted that criminals are evolving alongside technology, citing many recent scam messages that no longer originate from traditional SIM servers.
“Criminals are studying how to exploit technological loopholes,” Ramos said, referencing a recent Interpol conference attended by 44 countries, where combating fast-evolving scam techniques was a critical issue.
“Almost all scam victims we’ve investigated had privacy settings that were either off or set to public, exposing personal information to scammers,” he added.
The official also acknowledged the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) as both a tool for productivity and a mechanism for criminal activity.
