The wireless subsidiary of PLDT, Inc., Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), warns the public about the fact that con artists send text scams to mobile subscribers using "fake cell towers" and even use "Smart" as the sender name. According to Smart, these gadgets may lock onto cell phones within a predetermined range, which gives scammers the ability to send messages straight to users' handsets without going via their network. “Our investigation did not find any evidence that these malicious text messages passed through our network. The illegal ‘cell site simulators’ can also spoof or mimic mobile numbers to deceive subscribers into thinking that they’re receiving legitimate text messages,” said Cathy Yang, FVP and Group Head of Corporate Communications, PLDT and Smart.
Although cell site simulators are commonly employed as temporary emergency communication platforms in disaster-affected areas, Smart argues that government control is necessary for the appropriate usage of these devices. Smart and the government are collaborating to control the import and use of these kinds of prohibited gadgets. In an effort to combat SMShing and other related fraudulent acts, Smart has also enlisted the help of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC). This cooperation includes the investigation, capture, and prosecution of scammers. Recently, a few Smart customers claimed to have received texts on expired reward points, purportedly from Smart. After looking into it, Smart found that the link in the phony SMS took users to a phony Smart website where they had to pay to use their reward points. Smart has previously prevented its users from accessing the phishing domain. Customers are still being reminded by Smart to double-check URLs included in unwanted SMS messages. The official domain of Smart is https://www.smart.com.ph; all other versions are bogus. Additionally, the telecom provider reaffirmed that the official Smart App is the only way to redeem Smart Rewards points. In addition, Smart does not request payment information in order to use the reward points. How do scammers send text messages (SMS) with custom Sender IDs? Scammers use a "Cellsite Simulator" machine that can broadcast SMS messages directly to nearby devices. These simulators can spoof mobile numbers to deceive subscribers into thinking that the sender. Even the content tries to mimic the language and tone of official messages. These scam messages contain links to fake websites with promotions.
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