Text, scam calls drop in Q2; but URL-based scams rise — Whoscall
In the second quarter 2025 Philippine Scam Report, Whoscall said it saw a 'dramatic drop' in traditional scam incidents, particularly SMS or text scams, down by 94.95% to 65,035 from 1.28 million in the same period last year.
Compared to the first quarter of 2025, text scams decreased by 89.97% from 648,239.
Mel Migriño, country head and general manager of Gogolook in the Philippines, attributed the decline to combined efforts between authorities, the private sector, and the public.
Gogolook Co. Ltd. is the trust tech company behind Whoscall app.
'This significant drop is the result of collective action — from government and private-sector innovations to increased awareness and reporting by ordinary Filipinos. It shows that strong collaboration works,' said Migriño.
Likewise, Whoscall reported that scam call incidents dropped by 74.20% to 34,964 during the period from 135,535 in the second quarter of 2024.
Quarter-on-quarter, scam calls decreased by 90.05% from 351,699 in January to March 2025 period.
'We can't let our guard down. Every report and every effort helps make the digital space safer for everyone,' said Migriño.
Despite the significant drops in scam calls and texts, Whoscall flagged the rise in 'risky URLs' during the period.
It defines risky URLs (uniform resource locators) as potential threats to users' security, privacy, or financial information when clicked or visited.
Whoscall said these links are distributed on social media platforms and messaging applications.
The said links often lead to malicious, deceptive, or unauthorized websites and are commonly used in online scams, phishing attacks, and malware distribution.
The total number of risky URLs grew by 37.74% in the second quarter of 2025 to 18,735 from 13,602 in the first quarter.
Broken down, loan-related URLs rose by 19.68% to 9,930 from 8,297.
There was also a 57.46% rise in links related to promotions, rewards, and incentives to 4,497 from 2,856; while adult gambling-related links jumped by 75.91% to 4,308 from 2,449.
Migriño said the trend may be due to scammers shifting their tactics as authorities and the private sector continue to tighten measures against traditional SMS and call-based scams.
'The joint effort of the government and private sectors minimized scam calls and SMS scams. However, scam actors are now shifting to other platforms, such as social media and messaging apps, to continue their operations,' she said.
Migriño said many of the scams now involve luring users into clicking suspicious links, 'which may explain the sharp rise in reports involving URLs.'
'The challenge lies in cracking down on deceptive content embedded in apps where Filipinos spend most of their screen time. This partnership with platforms, public education, and real-time takedown coordinator remain key priorities moving into quarter three,' said Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) Deputy Director Assistant Secretary Aboy Paraiso. — BAP, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Senator urges BSP to apply stricter measures vs. online lending apps
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva on Friday called on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to implement more stringent action against online lending apps amid the rise of internet gambling in the country. Villanueva, who earlier filed an anti-online gambling bill, said the BSP's regulatory oversight on online lending apps, electronic wallets, and digital banks should complement the efforts of law enforcement agencies in addressing the ill effects of online gambling to society. "Kapag pinagsama po ang iligal na online gambling at ang mapagsamantalang pautang ng mga online lending apps, siguradong malulugmok sa kumunoy ang ating mga kababayan," the senator said in a statement. (When you combine illegal online gambling and the exploitative loans offered by the online lending apps, our countrymen will surely fall into quicksand.) "Regulatory agencies must exercise their oversight to support our law enforcement bodies, and do their fair share in slowing down the rampant use of online gambling platforms," he added. The Senate is set to hold an investigation regarding online gambling in the country, as announced by Senator Erwin Tulfo, chairman of the Senate games and amusement committee. Several other lawmakers have also called either for the total ban or strict regulation of online gambling, citing its negative impact on Filipinos who got addicted to it. Villanueva also disclosed that he received information that some employees of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) have now shifted to online gambling operations, seeking electronic gaming licenses from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). "How does PAGCOR actually screen and monitor its licensees to ensure that these same individuals are not resurfacing under a different name or company? What concrete actions does PAGCOR take when irregularities are discovered?" he asked. PAGCOR Chairman Alejandro Tengco earlier noted that the gaming industry regulator recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ad Standards Council (ASC) to strengthen the monitoring of gambling-related advertisements across all platforms. It also recently ordered the takedown of all gambling ads in public spaces and primetime TV by August 15 this year. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Economic Planning chief: I'm not happy with 6% growth
The Philippines' aspiration of being a poverty-free and middle-class society by 2040 is no longer feasible if the country's economic growth remains at a single-digit rate over the next decades, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Thursday. At the DEPDev's 2025 mid-year press chat, Balisacan said the COVID-19 pandemic has set back the country's growth. 'We lost three years of growth momentum… [Ambisyon Natin] 2040, at the current growth, is no longer feasible anymore,' the country's chief economist said. Under the 'Ambisyon Natin 2040' roadmap, the Philippine government aspires the country to be elevated to high-income economy status with 'a prosperous middle class society where no one is poor,' 'economic growth must be relevant, inclusive and sustainable,' and 'per capita income must increase by at least three-fold.' Balisacan, however, said the goals of the roadmap might be achieved a full decade behind 2040 or by 2050. 'If we continue our momentum, we will still [achieve] that by 2050,' the DEPDev chief, referring to the country's average economic growth rate of 6% seen in the last decade. He said that the government's 'Ambisyon Natin 2040' goals might still be hit if the economy grows faster above 8% or at least by double-digit. 'That is the kind of aspiration we must have not only by our administration but by succeeding administrations,' the country's chief economist said. 'I am not, you know, happy with 6%, because with 6%, we will be overtaken by a race to grow faster,' Balisacan said. The DEPDev chief said the country needs 'to solve the constraints that we face —structural, technical, institutional all that stuff.' In his mid-year report, Balisacan said from 2023 to the first quarter of 2025, the Philippines 'remained among Asia's fastest-growing economies.' 'Unemployment fell below pre-pandemic levels, while underemployment also declined steadily in 2023 and 2024. Poverty incidence dropped to 15.5% in 2023, lifting an estimated 2.4 million Filipinos above the poverty line. Inflation eased significantly, from a peak of 8.7% in January 2023 to just 1.4% in June 2025,' he said. 'And having met our Gross National Income (GNI) per capita targets for 2023 and 2024, the Philippines is now poised to achieve upper-middle-income status in the near term. In the World Bank's estimates of GNI per capita for 2024, we were short of just $26 to become an upper-middle-income country,' he added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Harry Roque denies interfering in Duterte's ICC case
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque has denied allegations that he interfered in former President Rodrigo Duterte's crimes against humanity case before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Roque, however, admitted that he offered an 'additional legal remedy' outside the ICC that was subject to the approval of the Duterte family. 'I cannot be blamed for devising remedies to bring former President Duterte home alive. No such idea can be characterized as a crazy scheme,' Roque said in a statement. 'In fact, the Vice President acknowledged that we have discussed the domestic legal remedy on numerous occasions and I have deferred to VP's decision to hold the domestic legal remedy in abeyance pending the outcome of the interim release,' he added. This came after Duterte's legal counsel, Atty. Nicholas Kaufman, said he was informed that Roque approached a Dutch lawyer with an initiative to sue the Dutch government for Duterte's rendition, based on an interview posted on Alvin and Tourism Facebook Page. Kaufman dubbed the scheme as 'crazy." 'With this plan, he could very well have jeopardized the Defence's efforts to release the former President. I have made it known that I would find it hard to forgive him for that and I refuse to entertain his ramblings,' Kaufman was quoted as saying in a post. Duterte is under custody of the ICC to face charges over his administration's drug war. He said that Roque has been portraying himself as the only person capable of defending the former president. He added that Duterte has made it known that Roque should supposedly stop in the case and return to the Philippines. Roque, for his part, said he is a 'loyal foot soldier of the Dutertes' that wished to see Duterte return to the country. 'Ad hominem attacks and other forms of character assassination have no place in the legal profession and in any decent society, especially if these are directed against individuals who have not – as I said earlier – interfered in the case,' he said. 'I thus call on Atty. Nicholas Kaufman to put an end to this blame game and simply channel his time and energy to bring the former President home alive to make the Filipinos the happiest persons on earth,' he added. Roque is facing charges for qualified human trafficking in connection to the Lucky South 99 POGO firm before the Angeles, Pampanga Regional Trial Court (RTC). —AOL, GMA Integrated News
