The Philippine National Police
Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) and GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the
country, remind the public to be careful against so-called lottery scams.
"The modus operandi of these scams
begins with victims receiving notices of winning a grand prize for a
competition, lottery, or sweepstakes. Scammers will send these announcements
through email, phone calls, text messages, or social media. To claim the prize,
victims are asked to pay for insurance, taxes, bank fees, and courier charges.
As if that wasn't enough, the scammers also request personal financial
information to verify the victim's identity, which they exploit to initiate an
account takeover," said PNP-ACG Spokesperson, PCapt Michelle Sabino.
To avoid these scams, the PNP-ACG and
GCash are providing valuable tips to the public.
Tip #1. It is important to carefully inspect any
envelopes received from sweepstakes mailers, paying close attention to the
details.
Tip #2. Never divulge personal information to
individuals who solicit it through email, SMS, or phone calls claiming that you
have won a prize.
Tip #3. Always take the time to read and
understand the fine print in lottery or sweepstakes forms, ensuring you are
aware of important information such as the start and end dates, methods of
participation, and any legal disclaimers.
“By following these precautions, you can
safeguard yourself against potential scammers and cybercriminals,” Sabino
explained.
GCash reiterates its warning to users to
never share their MPIN or OTP to anyone and to avoid clicking 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 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.
For more information, visit www.gcash.com.ph.
