Converge urges employees, public: Protect your heart, wallet, and privacy this February

The UnMatch PH webinar is part of the month-long activity slate of Converge as it celebrates February as Safer Internet Month.

With the popularity of online dating and the prevalence of online interactions, it’s harder to spot the so-called ‘red flags’ today than ever before. This is why leading fiber broadband provider Converge teamed up this Safer Internet Month with citizen cyber education organization Scam Watch Pilipinas to outline the do’s and don’ts when it comes to finding love online. 

“When it comes to cyber dating, ika nga #Budol is real. We don’t want to find ourselves in the situation where we’re heartbroken and at the same time, “catfished” and scammed out of our hard-earned money,” warned Eumir Espiritu, Converge AVP and Head of Data Privacy, in his remarks for the #UnMatch webinar, hosted by Converge as part of its Safer Internet campaign. 

Given that situation has become a reality for so many, as attested to by Scam Watch Pilipinas founders Art Samaniego Jr. and Jocel De Guzman, here are some practical tips to avoid getting your heart broken (and your wallet emptied): 

1.  Practice cyber hygiene

Education in cybersecurity practice is the core mission of Scam Watch, said Mr. De Guzman, because citizens are simply uninformed about basic “cyber hygiene” - important security habits meant to protect oneself from a cyber attack. Mr. De Guzman shared four “attitudes” to take in keeping one’s guard up in confronting a possible cyber threat: Magdamot, Magduda, Mang-Isnob, and Magsumbong. 

2. Don’t underestimate your password protection

Your account password is akin to the first lock on your door - it’s the first layer of security you have against cyber criminals, so make sure to make it a strong one, says Art Samaniego Jr. who is also the Manila Bulletin Technology Editor. He recommends 8-14 characters and a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols for maximum security. If these are in combination, it’ll take several months before hackers can crack your password.  

3. Cyber scams - including love scams - are a real and ongoing threat

Being defrauded or scammed may seem like something that would happen to others but not to you, but actually, the Philippine National Police - Anti Cybercrime Group reports numbers that show cyber crimes happen more often than one thinks. In 2023, they investigated more than 16,000 incidents and the value lost from these scams amounted to Php 155 million, shared Mr. Espiritu. Being extra vigilant and alert to these ploys is a must, especially with so much of our lives spent online, the Data Privacy head added. 

“As a leading fiber internet provider and actually, as the fastest internet service provider in the Philippines as validated by Ookla, Converge recognizes its responsibility to promote ways to be smart and safe online. We’ve always advocated for a safe internet environment, we don’t want our internet highway to be used by cybercriminals. We want our customers to be safe. And education is key to this,” said Converge VP and Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations Jay-Anne Encarnado in her closing remarks.

Filipinos who find themselves victims of online scams may reach out to Scam Watch Pilipinas through https://scamwatchpilipinas.com/ for reporting or call The Inter-Agency Response Center (I-ARC) Hotline 1326 within 24 hours of the crime.

ARC  is the joint project of the Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), National Privacy Commission (NPC), and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to centralize reporting of online scams to the government.

Converge Supports NGO ScamWatch PH, DICT Cybercrime Unit to Combat ‘Love Scams’

Converge ICT Solutions is among the private sector convenors of the citizen education organization Scam Watch Philippines. Converge will support Scam Watch in the dissemination of its educational materials. 

Leading Philippine fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has linked with the Department of Information and Communication Technology - Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (DICT-CICC ) and cybersecurity protection organization Scam Watch Pilipinas along with other private sector partners to launch UnMatchPH, an information awareness campaign to guard against cyber ‘love scams’. 

According to ScamWatch Pilipinas, relationship-based online fraud, in the context of a romance, has long been prevalent in the Philippines but may see a surge this February.

The CICC forms the crux of the partnership as it serves as the main receiving government agency for all the cybercrime reports of the public. According to the CICC, Filipinos lose about Php 1 billion every year to online scams in general.

“We urge victims of cybercrime to proactively report to the CICC. We have the Inter-Agency Response Center (IARC) which responds to cybercrime complaints and recovery of hacked accounts,” said CICC Executive Director Alexander Ramos.

The I-ARC is the centralized cybercrime response inter-agency collaboration of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), Department of Information, Communications, and Technology (DICT), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), and National Privacy Commission (NPC) with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as its law enforcement arm.

With the start of ‘love month’, ScamWatch PH, Converge, its government, and non-government partners are reiterating their message for the public to remain vigilant against romance scams that prey on Filipinos and foreigners alike. 

Corporate Communications and Public Relations Head Jay-Anne Encarnado reinforced the need for digital citizens to protect their identities online and encouraged the public to be ‘smart and safe’ in cyberspace, especially on social media. 

“With this collaboration, we are officially kicking off our Safer Internet campaign this February. We believe that education is key in combating these cybercriminals. As an internet service provider, we want to make sure that our network is not being used for illegal activities. We have always been an advocate of a safe online experience for everyone,” said Converge Vice President and Corporate Communications and Public Relations Head Jay-Anne Encarnado. 

The UnMatchPH campaign will involve social media information dissemination and content through Converge and Scam Watch Pilipinas channels and publications in newspapers warning the public, especially women, about the dangers of romance scams. 

“Scams are prevalent and continue to increase. Based on what we’ve seen, love scams fall into several categories. People need to call 1326 and report these incidents so first we can gather data and whenever possible, repair the damage,” said Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Founder and Co-Lead Convenor Jocel de Guzman. 

“The proliferation of these scams is expected to increase because of the season. The rationale behind this partnership is to educate citizens. The three pillars of cybersecurity culture are government, private sector, and the individual and the weakest among these is the individual, hence the emphasis on education,” added Art Samaniego, Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Lead Convenor and Manila Bulletin Technology Editor.  

(From left):  Converge Corporate Communications and Public Relations head Jay-Anne Encarnado, Scam Watch Co-Lead Convenor and Manila Bulletin Technology Editor Art Samaniego, Scam Watch Co-Lead Convenor Jocel De Guzman, DICT Undersecretary and CICC Chief Alex Ramos, Gogolook Country Representative for the Philippines Mel Migrino, BPI head of Corporate Communications Elena Torrijos, and GoTyme Bank Head of Corporate Communications Frederick Blancas.

At a press conference held Tuesday, Scam Watch Pilipinas presented the eight most common love scam profiles that proliferate among the public. Other partners, BPI Philippines, GoTyme Bank, and Gogolook all expressed their support for the campaign. 

Romance scams involve the creation of and manipulation of a personal relationship with a victim to extort money or goods, even drugs. These scams often start as ‘matches’ online, whether through dating apps or social media. 

ScamWatch Pilipinas will feature victim testimonials, going to the barangay and parish levels, to broaden the reach of the information campaign. 

ScamWatch Pilipinas urges the public to save the Inter-Agency Response Center (I-ARC) Hotline 1326 on their mobile devices in case of need.