Telecommunications company Globe donated IMSI catcher detectors to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to help track fake cell sites and curb mobile scams in the Philippines.
Globe hopes to prevent the growing use of illegal mobile infrastructure such as IMSI catchers, also known as fake base stations, which allow cybercriminals to send fraudulent SMS messages directly to mobile users. These attacks bypass traditional network safeguards because they operate outside legitimate telecom systems.
The IMSI catcher detectors are designed to identify and locate unauthorized signal activity in real time, enabling faster investigation and enforcement. Authorities can deploy the devices in high-risk and densely populated areas, expanding coverage and improving protection for millions of mobile subscribers.
“The threats we are seeing today operate at a deeper level, and addressing them requires stronger systems and closer coordination,” said Froilan Castelo, group general counsel at Globe. “We see it as our responsibility not only to provide connectivity, but to make sure that it remains safe and secure for every Filipino who relies on it.”
Globe said the tools will strengthen coordination between regulators and law enforcement, improving the country’s ability to respond to mobile security threats such as SMS phishing, spoofing, and scam texts.
“What this initiative enables is visibility where it matters most,” said Anton Bonifacio, chief AI officer and chief information security officer at Globe. “By detecting unauthorized signal activity, we can support faster investigation and response, which is critical in addressing threats like fake base stations.”
The company said it will continue working with government agencies to share intelligence, tighten enforcement, and strengthen protections against evolving mobile scams.