The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group and mobile wallet GCash asked 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.
The PNP-ACG and GCash said to avoid these scams, it is important to carefully inspect any envelopes received from sweepstakes mailers and pay close attention to the details.
“Never divulge personal information to individuals who solicit it through email, SMS or phone calls claiming that you have won a prize,” they said.
“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,” the two parties said.
“By following these precautions, you can safeguard yourself against potential scammers and cybercriminals,” Sabino said.
GCash asked users to never share their MPIN or OTP to anyone and avoid clicking unknown links from websites, emails or messaging apps.