MANILA – “Beware: There is a new modus by online fraudsters using social media platforms WhatsApp and Telegram applications.”
The stern warning came from the lead convenor of an anti-fraud and anti-misinformation advocacy group Philippine Transportation and Communications (PhilTraComm) in an effort to inform the public about the new modus by tricksters using WhatsApp and Telegraph social media platforms.
“The said social media platforms have nothing to do with this but if you are a WhatsApp user, beware. They will first send you a message offering a good paying job as TikTok reviewer,” PhilTraComm chief Aio Bautista said.
“Then, he/she will ask for a screenshot of your name/identity, age, and mobile number. After which, he/she will ask you to download a Telegram app by which you will be asked again to send the screenshot of your personal information,” Bautista explained.
“After sending the screenshot of your personal info through the Telegram app, they will ask for your GCash number for them to be able to send a P100 bonus for applying for the job being offered as TikTok reviewer.”
Stop. Look, and listen carefully. Here is the catch: After sending the bonus, they will then ask you to send them back a screenshot of your new balance to their supposed “administrator” for final screening.
“That’s the clincher,” Bautista said. “What is the purpose of you sending a screenshot of your new balance? The only thing that comes to mind here is for them to snoop and see your current GCash balance and that’s it. We never know what will happen next.”
Asked by the would-be victim where they found his contact number, the trickster who only introduced herself as “Gracie” told him they got it from LinkedIn.
“This is another red flag. People should refrain from writing or leaving their mobile numbers on their social media accounts,” Bautista said.
“This new modus is very risky as victims may find themselves in deep trouble, deep in debt with GCash which is openly offering loans nowadays,” Bautista added.
“Victims might end up paying loans they never enjoyed or worse, they might end up in jail due to a loan they never committed.”
Bautista also suggested for GCash and other similar service providers to install better safety nets on behalf of their subscribers to protect them from fraud.
“Dapat din seguro gumawa ng ibayong protekson ang GCash at iba pa alang-alang sa kapakanan ng milyun-milyon nilang subscribers dahil kawawa naman ang publiko kung magbabayad sila ng loan na hindi naman talaga kanila,” Bautista stressed.
(Amado Inigo/MTVN)
