Text Scam Advisory (Abiso Sa "Text Scam")

02 August 2005

The public is hereby warned about so-called "text scam" which is a criminal scheme whereby the victim is informed through short messaging service or "texting" that he won millions of pesos in a raffle draw purportedly sponsored by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), or other institutions. The swindlers who use fictitious money to certain bank accounts designated by the swindlers, supposedly for the payment of tax and other fees, or to send pre-paid card PINs to the swindlers" cellular phones, as a precondition to getting the alleged prize. Once the swindlers have taken the money or loaded the pre-paid PINs to their cellular phones, the victims would no longer hear fro the swindlers again. 

Those who receive such test messages or have been victimized by this fraud are advised to immediately report the matter to the Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat, 5/F, EDPC Building, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Manila, with telephone numbers 302-3982 and 524-7011 local 2372.

Abiso Sa "Text Scam"

Ang publiko ay aming binabalaan tungkol sa "text scam". Ito ay isang panlilinlang sa pamamagitan ng cellular phones kung saan ang mga manlilinlang ay nagpapadala ng "text message" na nagsasabi ng pagkapanalo ng malaking halaga sa isang pa-raffle ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Philppine Charity Sweepstakes, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation o iba pang institusyon. Ang mga manlilinlang ay gumagamit ng hindi totoo pangalan o nagpapakilalang mga opisyal ng mga naturang ahensya o institusyon. Ang napiling biktima ay sasabihan na kailangang magdeposito o magpadala muna ng pera sa mga manlilinlang upang pambayad diumano sa buwis at iba pang fees, o magpadala ng pre-paid card loads, bilang kundisyon bago makuha and sinasabing premyo. Pagkatapos makuha ng mga kriminal ang perang ipinadala o ma-load and pre-paid card PINs  sa kanilang cellular phones, hindi na muli pa silang makikipag-usap sa biktima.

Huwag pabiktima sa "text scam". Ipagbigay-alam kaagad ang mga insidente ng nasabing scam sa Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat, 5/F, EDPC Building, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Manila, with telepono numbers 302-3982 and 524-7011 local 2372.