A recent investigation by the National
Privacy Commission (NPC) and the leading mobile wallet GCash, has led to the
discovery of certain gambling sites and apps which were used for account
takeovers in the recent surge of phishing scams.
Additionally, some influencers may have
unknowingly promoted these gaming apps without being aware of their fraudulent
nature. GCash is now cautioning its users to be extremely careful when
accessing online gambling sites and apps, and to avoid them altogether if
possible.
In this latest scheme, perpetrators
created gambling apps while falsely claiming to be accredited by the Philippine
Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). These apps deceive users with a
verification process, redirecting them to a fake GCash website or payment page
to top up betting credits. From there, fraudsters were able to access sensitive
information such as credit card details, passwords, GCash numbers, MPINs, OTPs,
and other personal data that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to user
accounts.
"The trust and safety of our
customers remain our top priority which is why we are relentless in ensuring
the public is made aware of phishing scams related to online gambling. This
goes hand-in-hand with our own world-class security features and innovations
that gives our users additional layers of protection against evolving
threats," emphasizes GCash Chief Technology and Operations Officer,
Pebbles Sy.
Last month, the leading mobile wallet
announced its collaboration with various law enforcement agencies to further
investigate a thwarted phishing attempt which was rectified by the GCash
cybersecurity team in the same day they monitored the incident. GCash’s
internal investigation traced the phishing link to fraudulent messages
masquerading as SIM card registration.
"Our intensified collaboration with
law enforcement authorities will continue to expose these scams, but we
encourage everyone to join this crusade by staying informed about
phishing," adds Sy.
GCash continues to be in close cooperation
with law enforcement authorities, including the Philippine National Police
(PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Cybercrime
Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).
GCash reiterates its warning to users
never to share their MPIN or OTP to anyone and to avoid clicking on unknown
links from websites, emails, or messaging apps.
For assistance, users can contact the
PNP-ACG through their hotlines at (02) 8414-1560 or 0998-598-8116, or via email
at acg@pnp.gov.ph. To report scams and other fraudulent activities, users can
also visit the official GCash Help Center in the app or at help.gcash.com,
message Gigi and type "I want to report a scam." Customers can also
reach out to the official GCash hotline at 2882 for inquiries and other
concerns.
