Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) has issued a new warning to customers regarding SMS scams facilitated by “fake cell towers.” These illegal devices allow scammers to send text messages directly to mobile users, bypassing telecommunications networks and often appearing under trusted company names.
“We urge our customers to #BeCyberSmart,” Atty. Roy Ibay, VP and head of Regulatory Affairs at Smart, said in a media advisory. “Scammers can now push fraudulent messages directly to your mobile device by capturing your phone’s unique ID, known as the IMSI, without passing through the cellular network.”
Smart advises users to report suspicious SMS messages through its HULISCAM portal requesting information such as the sender’s number, the date, message content, and location of receipt.
“We actively investigate these reports and block numbers that we confirm to be involved in fraud,” Ibay said.
These fake cell towers, which imitate legitimate cellular infrastructure, can even use misleading sender names or numbers, tricking users into believing the messages are from known companies. Smart is collaborating with the National Telecommunications Commission and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to tackle the unlawful use of such equipment.
“Scammers use these machines to evade network protections, preying on people through phishing schemes,” said Ibay.
In September alone, Smart blocked over 200 million phishing messages and permanently disabled more than 37,000 fraudulent numbers.
To stay safe, Smart reminds users to be cautious of suspicious calls or messages, avoid clicking on links in unsolicited texts, and report any scam attempts through Smart’s social media channels or hotline *888.