Globe Telecom leads new Philippine alliance against online fraud

Globe Telecom Inc. said it is leading the fight against online fraud in the Philippines, working with partners Gogolook and Meta.

The telecom arm of the Ayala Group recently took the chairmanship of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) Philippine Chapter, with Gogolook and Meta serving as vice chairs.

GASA is supported by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), after a meeting on Aug. 13 between GASA officials and representatives from the DICT, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG), the National Privacy Commission (NPC), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the GSM Association (GSMA) and private sector members.

“The threats we face in the digital world are growing more complex by the day. That’s why we at DICT fully support GASA’s collaborative model,” said DICT Secretary Henry Aguda.

“Combating scams isn’t just a tech issue, it’s a trust issue. Through this alliance, we can move as one, strengthen safeguards, and give Filipinos the confidence to fully participate in the digital economy,” he said.

According to GASA, online scams are among the most reported crimes globally. In Southeast Asia, 63 percent of adults said they encountered a scam in the past year, while 22 percent lost money. In the Philippines, the share who lost money reaches about 31 percent.

“As chair, Globe is committed to ensuring the chapter focuses on practical, people-first initiatives,” said Derick Adil, GASA PH co-chair from Globe.

“Our vision is to empower and secure every Filipino against the changing landscape of digital fraud and scams,” said Adil.

“Filipinos deserve a digital space they can trust. Chairing the GASA Philippine Chapter allows us to bring the right people to the table, share fraud intelligence, and act with urgency,” said Irish Salandanan-Almeida, Globe chief privacy officer.

“Our goal is simple: Prevent fraud, stop scams and make recovery easier for victims,” she said.

Members of the alliance will leverage GASA’s partnership with the Global Signal Exchange to share verified scam signals such as malicious domains and accounts so local teams can act faster.

Globe said that in the first half of 2025, it blocked more than 484 million scam and spam messages.

The company was the first telecommunications firm in the country to block person-to-person SMS with clickable links and removed links from its own advisories to help customers more easily spot legitimate messages. Globe also works with regulators to take down scam websites, protect sender identities, and respond to scam reports through its #StopSPAM portal.

Beyond technology, Globe said it continues to educate high-risk groups through programs such as the Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP), which teaches responsible digital behavior and online safety and #SeniorDigizen, a learning initiative designed to help senior citizens navigate digital spaces safely.

“Scammers prey on emotion and speed. The answer is community and coordination,” said Rajeshpal Singh, GASA Southeast Asia advisor.

“The Philippine Chapter connects banks, telcos, platforms, and public agencies so we can share intelligence quickly and give people practical protection that works,” he said.