The number of blocked subscriber identity modules (SIMs) linked to fraud has significantly increased in the first nine months of the year compared to last year, according to the latest data from Globe Telecom Inc.
Globe said it has blocked a total of 154,569 SIMs in the first nine months of 2023, including 148,515 from other networks that were blacklisted and 6,054 from its own network that were deactivated.
This represents a steep climb from the total 35,558 blacklisted and deactivated SIMs within the same period last year.
Blacklisted SIMs, which include numbers from other networks, surged by 668 percent compared to 19,343 in the same period last year.
Globe blocked fraud-linked SIMs via its Stop Spam reporting portal. The company said it has observed a staggering rise in the number of SIMs from other networks used in spam and scam activities.
Meanwhile, the number of Globe SIMs deactivated over fraud links declined by 62.7 percent, from 16,215 in the first nine months of 2022, to 6,054 in the same three quarters.
“With our proactive efforts via our Stop Spam portal bolstered by the SIM Registration Law, we were able to block a new record high in SIMs linked to fraud. Through collaboration and use of technology, we are gaining headway against these criminals,” said Anton Bonifacio, Globe chief information security officer.
The company said it has spent $20 million on its Security Operations Center, which works round-the-clock to filter out unwanted messages, including app-to-person and person-to-person text messages from international and domestic sources.
Globe encourages customers to continue to report suspicious messages from unknown senders to its #StopSPAM portal.
